Dragon Mark
by Spiral-Fire
Summary: Sequel to Watching and Waiting: Three years have passed since Kimiko escaped from Chase Young, but the monks haven't seen him since. Yet a new evil is rising and Chase soon needs to reclaim the only one who can stop it: The Xiaolin Dragon of Fire.
1. Chapter 1

**((A/N: This is the sequel to Watching and Waiting, so if you haven't read that yet, I suggest you do so. Things will make a lot more sense that way.**

**As always, please review or leave me a constructive comment. This story might also evolve into a Chamiko, so tell me what you think about that. I look forward to seeing your responses!**

**Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy my work!**

**~Spiral-Fire ))**

**Disclaimer: When I take over the world, everything shall be mine. But for now, I must settle with only the plot.**

**Dragon Mark**

_This couldn't have been the end. Chase wouldn't have given up that easily. There was something hidden behind his smirk that I couldn't see, something deep. Wherever I went from here on out, I knew that he would be watching. And I would be waiting. This wasn't the end._

_It was only the beginning._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter One**

**(-)**

**Three Years Later**

The sun hovered in the sky, about to sink behind the vast stretch of darkening land. A cool breeze started to blow as the sky was lit with brilliant pinks and oranges.

I stared out into the early sunset, hugging my knees to my chest. I was sitting on top of one of the many mountains by the Xiaolin Temple, gazing out at the land spread in front of me. Sighing heavily, I let my thoughts wander deep into my mind as shadows began to creep towards me.

My hair blew around my face as I stared deeply at the land. Automatically, my hand went to touch the ring held on a chain around my neck. It was simple, silver, but with a small opal in the center. It had been three years since I had received it, seeming like a trivial thing then. But from then on, I had always kept it with me.

A loud gasping noise emitted from the stone ledge beneath me, interrupting my thoughts. My concentration broken, I looked down annoyed to see someone climbing up the mountain to get to me. Sighing and leaning back on the stone, I waited patiently as Raimundo, panting and out of breath, heaved himself up onto my ledge.

"Gosh…Kim.." he gasped. "How…the heck…did you…get up here?"

"Climbed. It's not _that_ hard, Rai."

"Yeah, but still!"

"In case you've forgotten, Raimundo, your element is wind." There was silence.

"…shut up."

I managed a weak smile as I once again turned my attention to the fading sunset. Raimundo climbed over and plopped himself down next to me.

"What did you come up here for, anyway?"

"To think."

"About what?" I sighed and bit my lip.

"It's been three years. Exactly." Raimundo sighed in return and turned to face me.

"He's not coming back, Kimiko."

"But you don't-"

"Listen," he interrupted. "It's been three _years_ since we've seen Chase Young last. He hasn't appeared anywhere, attacked us, turned up at showdowns or _anything._ He won't bother us again; Chase is gone."

I closed my eyes and clenched my hands into fists, trying not to let my fiery temper get the best of me. _You don't know Chase,_ I thought hollowly. _You didn't know what I went through, and that look in his eyes. Chase will never let go…_

The sun sank lower into the horizon as silence crept between us. Raimundo sighed and stood up, brushing off his jeans. I was still wearing my training robes, since I had come here right at the end of the day.

"Well, Master Fung told me to get you. They should be starting dinner soon."

I hesitated and then stood up with him, still staring at the land in front of me. My eyes automatically wandered to the black smudge of mountains, barely visible, on the edge of the horizon.

"You climbing down or you want me to carry you?" Rai asked. Wind whipped up around him as his element came to him.

"Neither. I want to try that technique one last time." He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine Kim. Remember, focus your energy. I'll be down on the ground to get you if it doesn't work, like the last thousand times.

"Thanks for that vote of confidence, Raimundo." He stuck his tongue out at me and floated lazily to the ground, hundreds of feet away. Sighing, I closed my eyes and advanced to the border of the ledge.

"_Go."_ I whispered. I dived off the edge of the mountain headfirst, sensing everything around me. I opened my eyes to see the ground coming closer and closer at an alarming rate. My heart began to pound.

"Wait for it…wait for it…NOW!" A huge blaze of fire erupted from my outstretched hands, almost blinding my eyes. Intense heat radiated up to me, exactly as I had wanted. The heat rushed down to the ground and intensified.

Suddenly, my fire disappeared; my energy had faded too much. The ground was a hundred feet away as I frantically tried to get myself into the last phase of the technique. But it was too late. The ground came closer and closer as everything seemed to go in slow motion. _Fifty feet, forty, thirty, twenty…_The ground was only ten feet away. Hastily, I closed my eyes so I didn't have to see the impact.

It never came. Slowly, I opened one eye and then the other to see the ground an inch from the end of my nose. Sighing with relief, I looked up to see Rai looking bored and holding onto my ankles. At once, he dropped me and I crashed into the ground.

"Ow." I shakily climbed back onto my feet as Raimundo landed.

"You forgot the second stage."

"I know."

"You have to switch your position so that you're in a landing stance, increase the fire power and then land."

"I was about to! But my fire keeps dying on me right before I enter the second stage; I don't know why."

"Why is Master Fung making you do this technique anyway?"

"'_To learn to control various stages of fire increase under pressure blah blah blah_. I'm supposed to be using my element to create enough hot air from the fire to safely keep me floating so I can land safely."

"I don't think its working."

"Yeah. Someone needs to tell Fung that I can't fly." Rai smiled at me and then started walking

"Come on; they probably already started eating without us. Clay probably has about three servings done by now."

I stared up at the fading sunset and the shadows now creeping over the mountains. Shaking my head, I dashed off after Rai, my mind swirling with thoughts. Glancing back once, I thought I saw a shadow dart across the stone side. But it was probably just my imagination; I had long since ago learned not to trust my sight and use my other senses instead.

_Take a breath Kimiko…_

_

* * *

_

The sky was dark and filled with thousand of tiny stars as I slowly walked back to my room. Sighing, I paused as I exited the main part of the Temple and entered the outside. Sitting down on the stairs, I fingered the ring on my neck and gazed at the night sky.

I couldn't believe that three years had passed already; it seemed like an eternity. Those few days with Chase had scarred me. Everyday I had woken up thinking whether Chase might return again. I had nightmares when I slept constantly, imagining his warrior cats and him forcing me to attack my friends. His cold golden eyes, his skill level, _everything._ It haunted me.

Shivering in the night air, I still felt uneasy as the day I was free from him. Even though it had only been a short time under Chase's control, the experience had left a huge impact on me. Yawning, I slowly stood up and finished the journey to me room. Changing into a cami and shorts, I slipped onto my futon, looking up at the ceiling.

_It's been three years; Chase isn't coming back. Raimundo's right. Get on with your life; he's been messing with you for too long. _Sighing, I blinked slowly and closed my eyes.

* * *

Dreams of Chase haunted me. I saw him in his lair, looking expectant yet unconcerned in that air he always had about him. His golden eyes shone with fire as a cat brushed against him. Petting the fallen warrior, I felt his eyes connect to mine somehow within my dream and a bolt of electricity flew through me. His lips curved into an evil smirk.

I jolted awake but didn't open my eyes, my heart racing. Turning onto my back I took a deep breath. _It means nothing…_Suddenly, a strange presence filled in around me and I froze, my heart stopping altogether. It had been a long time since I'd last felt it, but now the presence was here, smothering the air around me.

I opened my eyes to see seven pairs of glowing eyes staring back down at me.

**((Review!))**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

My eyes widened in horror as I frantically covered my mouth to keep from screaming. My heart was pounding faster than I've ever felt it before as I shot up in bed, staring terrified at the eyes. _What's going on?!_

Seven large jungle cats, each snarling ferociously, advanced at me. Scrambling off my futon, I felt myself back up into the corner of the tiny room as they surrounded me. I was trapped. _Cats?! _Sudden realization dawned on me: they belonged to Chase

Slightly whimpering with my eyes full of fear, I slowly grabbed the cell phone by my pillow and frantically typed in a message:_ Chase cats help_. Pressing send, I hurled the phone at one of the cats opposite from me. The feline caught it in its jaws and crushed it with one tiny movement.

Gulping nervously, I backed even farther into the corners as they came closer. My heart rate was wild and I could barely breathe. Narrowing my eyes, I quickly summoned my element.

"Fire!" I screamed, hurling it at the cats. Instead, it went off course from them and hit the wall. The divider between our rooms burst into a tiny flame. Cursing to myself, I grabbed a vase holding a few flowers and chucked it at the wall. As the glass shattered, the water inside quickly extinguished the flame.

I was scared out of my mind. My body shook as I felt myself be cornered again. I couldn't use my element to defend myself; otherwise I would burn down the Temple. Barely seeing their outlines in the darkness of the room, I looked around horrified as everything went quiet. Shadows surrounded me as silence enveloped the air.

Suddenly, something hard and heavy whacked into the back of my head. My eyes widened as pain exploded in my mind. I felt myself fall forward and my eyes widened. _"No…" _I whispered, and fell into darkness.

* * *

The blow meant to knock me out didn't quite make it. After a few pain filled minutes, I wearily opened my eyes and groaned. Gasping, I shot straight up as my stomach dropped.

I was now outside my room, about to leave the Temple grounds. My body had been thrown over one of the cat's backs as they quickly exited the gate and descended the steps, me dragged along with them. _"NO!"_ I screamed, sliding off the warrior cat and making a mad dash up the steps. For a brief three seconds I thought I could have gotten away when suddenly I was tackled by a couple of the cats.

As my body was slammed mercilessly onto the hard stone steps, I suddenly felt myself be dragged backwards by human hands. Frantically, I looked up to see two large men, dressed as Roman soldiers, clamped onto my arms. My heart stopped completely as I tried to scream, but no sound escaped into the night.

Whimpering, I was dragged back onto the cat's back, and the pack continued. My hands had somehow been bound together as I sat straight up, shaking. The two now human warriors walked on either side of me, while the rest of the cats surrounded us. My mind could barely register anything that was happening as I was removed farther and farther way from the Xiaolin Temple.

Desperate to get away, I managed to weakly stand up on the cat's back and jump over the head of one of the humans. My eyes blinded by tears, I ran as fast as I could, but realized I didn't know where I was, especially in the dark. The ground felt hard and rocky under my feet and suddenly, I tripped and fell. Something warm began to run down my arms and side and with a jolt, I realized it was blood.

Before I could get up, I was once again snatched up by the warriors. My body stung as a blow came to my gut, rendering me breathless. The cold night air whipped around me and I shivered, closing my eyes. Angrily, I summoned my element and swung my hands at the cats. They were unaffected, as was the rope; I guess it was fireproof. Tearing away from their grasp, I rushed forward at the jungle cats trying to fight them and get past to get away. Instead I was met with angry claws that slashed at my body.

Seconds later, I was helplessly tossed over the feline, now the pack surrounding me tighter and the two humans with their hands on my shoulders. Their faces were cold and emotionless, their eyes blank and unpitying. I don't even think they knew what they were doing.

I was sitting against the massive feline's back, my hands tied at the wrists. The cold air was harsh as it whipped around me. My whole body stung fiercely in the wind against the cuts and scrapes that had formed. _Why did I choose to wear shorts tonight?_

I fought to hold back tears as my body shook. I tried to piece together what was happening, but my mind was numb and refused to cooperate. Scratches lined my whole body from my bouts with the cats, and I could feel the stinging of the blood flowing against the cold air. It seemed my clothes had been badly torn too, as it felt like I was wearing almost nothing against the wind.

Suddenly, the cats stopped their elevated ascend and I wearily looked around to see why. My heart stopped cold as my mind finally caught up. Within a second, I had leaned over and was sick to the side of the cat.

"_No..."_ I whimpered my voice barely audible. "Please! No!" I struggled to get off the cat once again, but the humans kept a firm grip on me. Crying out in desperation, I frantically tried to summon my element, but it was no used.

We had somehow reached the mouth of a large cave, dangerous looking rocks hanging down like teeth at its edge. I knew exactly where they had taken me: the place I thought I would never see again.

"Please," I pleaded again, not even sure if they could hear me. My cries for help landed on deaf ears, and the cats began to drag me through the tunnel leading to inside. As I tried to collect myself together my body began to shake, and I tried one last time to get away. It didn't quite work.

A large wooden door appeared in my view, slowly swinging open at our approach. Light crept around the edges from inside, and I shivered as they entered. I was officially beyond help now.

And then, the same stone room I had seen so many times and wished to never see again engulfed me. Tall blue and green stained glass windows lined cool gray walls, while numerous fountains lined the floor. The room, looking seemingly peaceful, suddenly made my heart rate become frantic.

The cat pitched me onto the floor, stopping just inside the doorway. Gasping for breath, I landed on my hands and knees, staring at the cool stone floor. Instantly, paws landed on my shoulders to keep me from running. My hands were shaking under me. _No…This can't be happening…_As my mind started to go numb again, I struggled to keep a hold on myself.

And then, the air around me suddenly stilled. An uneasy feeling filed in around me, and my eyes widened. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as I looked up, terrified. Suddenly, I felt a huge pressure from within me. It was pulling me towards something, pressing down on my body. The force had returned: and that could only mean one thing. Cold seeped throughout my body, and I suddenly felt weak inside.

Suddenly, a gloved hand gently tilted my chin up. My heart stopped as blue eyes met golden: a face was only inches from mine.

_Chase Young._

I felt the cats around me drop on their front paws, bowing to the man who had just appeared. My body trembled as I froze, staring almost petrified at him. His golden eyes reached far within mine, and his lips curved into a smirk.

He crouched proudly and evilly in front of me, looking down at my shaking form. As the smirk appeared, I immediately felt a rush of adrenaline and anger run through me. Snarling, I tried to form my element at him and thrust my hands forward. Instead the bonds restrained me as well as the cats, yanking me backwards.

Chase smirked again as I struggled against the jungle cats. He slowly stood up, watching the scene with a little amusement. By now the human warriors were firmly grasping my arms, holding me back.

"Release her." His icy, smooth voice erupted against the cat's growling and they immediately dropped me to the floor. I cried out a little as my already battered body hit the stone floor, the bonds around my hands disappearing instantly.

As soon as I touched the ground, I looked up to see Chase inches away. Wincing, I pulled myself into a kneeling position. The cats surrounded me on the other side, cutting off any possible means of escape.

"Welcome, Kimiko," Chase said coolly. I struggled to get one of the cats to stop from placing a heavy paw on the small of my back, forcing my body into an upright position.

"_Chase,"_ I snarled, trying to overcome the numbness in my body. I narrowed my eyes and glared up at him. _"Why am I here?!"_

Instead of responding, he ignored me, placing his hands behind his back. Chase almost cocked his head at me, examining my battered form.

"Has it really been three years since we've both laid eyes on each other? It seems like only yesterday you were by my side…"

"WHY AM I HERE?!" I shouted at him again, feeling like I was going to cry at any minute. My voice shook a little as I glared at him. "Let me go!"

Chase ignored me further as his eyes wandered across my bruised and bloody body. I tensed, my sore limbs tightening.

"I ordered them not to harm you."

"Well, it doesn't seem like they _listened, does it?" _I spat at him. He smirked at me as my body began to shake again.

_No…This can't be happening…_

He slowly bent down and took my shaking hands in his, pulling me upright. As soon as I was on my feet I yanked myself away from him, stumbling backwards.

"Don't _touch_ me!" I snarled at Chase, stumbling as I moved backwards. I didn't get very far though: the cats were still behind me.

"You're bleeding," he said simply.

"I don't need your help!" I snapped. "I'm fine!" But my act didn't get very far. A sharp, stinging pain erupted along my side where one of the cat's sharp claws had scratched me. I let out an unwanted cry and clutched it, trying to keep the cool air from blowing against it. When I slowly removed my hand, my palm was covered in red and my exposed side was smeared with blood.

I took a little intake of breath, not wanting to look up at Chase. My head began to spin again, and I suddenly felt weak in the knees. Cold filled my body through the scraps of what was left of my clothes.

Slowly, I raised my eyes to Chase's. A smirk was planted on his face as he looked down smugly at me.

"…Pin her."

Out of nowhere, I was tackled by a flying cat. I shrieked in surprise and pain as the fallen warrior pushed me roughly into the nearest wall. My head collided with the stone, and for a minute I swore stars were flying around in front of me. But before I had a chance to react, my hands were suddenly wrenched from my sides and forced over my head. Heavy paws firmly stepped on my wrists, preventing me from moving any farther.

I groaned for a second as I tried to recover, lifting my head up wearily. Two cats had tackled me into the wall and were standing on their hind legs on either side of me. The other two paws were on my wrists, firmly pinning me down. I cried out instantly and immediately tried to get away, trying to yank my hands away and escape their grasp.

But the cats were too heavy, and in my weakened state, it was virtually impossible. My heart began to pound faster as I gave up my escape attempts, my breathing becoming strained and irregular. I frantically looked up to see Chase slowly approaching me, the same sly smile on his face.

Slightly whimpering, I tried to shrink into the wall. I took a sharp intake of breath slowly looked up as Chase stopped right in front of me. He had never looked so tall, muscular and threatening as he did right then. He just looked so utterly…_dangerous._ And I was cornered and defenseless right in front of him.

"This is the third time I've had to heal you," he said smoothly, moving even closer. I felt myself be blocked in on all sides, escape now impossible.

"_And neither time before did I want your help!"_ I snapped back at him. I shifted my body as I tried to back up away from him, but of course the wall was there to stop me. My stomach gave a lurch as I looked terrified up at him, almost begging him not to do anything. Chase took a step forward towards me and raised his hands. I whimpered and shut my eyes as tight as they would go. _This can't be happening…_

Chase's hands brushed on my raised arms, slowly sliding his palms from my wrists to my shoulders. At once I felt the same healing energy that he had used on me before. It spread throughout the tiny wounds on my arms, and relief from the pain came.

I had long ago retreated into my mind, trying not to believe what was happening. I tried to separate my body and mind so that I wouldn't have to deal with what Chase was doing. It didn't work though: I was still fully conscious of Chase Young healing me, and I could feel everything he was doing.

And I could still feel the energy flowing through me. It was different from the last time he had healed me, and I shivered in spite of my self. Three years ago it had seemed almost warm, not at all a threat. But this time, the energy was icy cold and sent shivers up my spine. The whole atmosphere around me had seemed to change in an instant too: the air was filled with a sense of dread. I cringed and feebly tried to move away.

My eyes opened as Chase took his hands off my arms. They had a slight black aura around them, presumably the Heylin energy he had used to heal me. But something told me it wasn't over yet.

My body was shaking by now as I backed farther into the wall, ducking my head as he stared down at me. I looked up, petrified, and opened my mouth to speak. To plead. To do_ something. _Chase narrowed his eyes and drew in more concentration. I stared at his figure in shock. Chase suddenly didn't seem like the same person anymore. His eyes had turned a deeper golden color, but they looked more like slits now than regular shapes. His whole body seemed tensed and less natural. And his smirk had grown eviler, if that was even possible.

I only had a second to sense this before my mind caved and fear reclaimed me. I whimpered again and closed my eyes, trying to shy away from the wall. My heart pounded loudly in my ears, and time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Chase's hands had encircled my waist. Then, I collapsed.

Everything I had been trying to keep back burst forth from me. I was overwhelmed by my fears and the realization of what was happening, crumbling to my knees against the wall. If it weren't for the cats holding me upwards, I would have fallen to the floor.

The tears I had been trying to hold back poured out as I felt Chase's gloved hands moved along my side from my ribs to my waist. Even more energy flowed throughout me as the cuts disappeared, but I couldn't focus on that anymore.

My mind was spinning as a sob escaped my throat. I closed my eyes against the tears but they kept coming, spilling out over the edges and down my cheeks. My whole body was trembling, and I couldn't regain control. _This…This can't be happening..._

But it was.

What seemed like hours later, the energy suddenly disappeared from my body as Chase stepped back. The cats released me from their paws, and I sank to the ground. My body shook with sobs as I doubled over on my knees, crying into the ground. _No…_

I could distantly hear Chase telling his cats an order, but I couldn't tell what it was. My mind had completely shut down.

And then, Chase's voice floated down faintly, ripping me from my state like a miracle.

"Close the door."

His voice jolted me, and at that moment I realized there was no one behind me. Chase and his cats had moved away and to the front of me, obviously expecting me to do nothing in my current state. The door was still open, just beginning to close. And there was no one in my path to the doorway.

My heart began to pound faster as I glanced at Chase and the cats. No eyes were on me. I saw the heavy wooden door less than four feet away from hitting the floor.

And then, I ran.

My legs were aching fiercely as I fled to the closing door, hearing nothing but my own strained breathing and the frantic beating inside of me. A bead of sweat mixed with my tears, rolling off my cheek and into the air. There was less than two feet left to go before I was totally sealed in.

I dropped to the ground and rolled through the tiny opening just as the door came down. My eyes were shut tightly as the roar of the cats and Chase's anger reached my ears. Then, everything went silent. My body still shaking furiously, I slowly opened my eyes to greet darkness.

_I was free._

Within a second I was back on my feet: Chase would waste no time in coming after me. With the little strength left within, I quickly ran down the dark corridor and into the cool night air.

The moon illuminated the mouth of the cave, adding ominous shadows to everything in my path. Without a second thought, I stupidly dashed for the edge. Rocks crumbled under my feet as I suddenly slid to a halt. As my feet went over the cliff, I yanked my body backwards and fell onto the hard ground.

Breathing heavily, my stomach lurched as I remembered that Chase's lair was in the mountains. I peered down in the darkness, seeing the trees look no bigger than a quarter below.

"_No,"_ I whispered frantically. There _had_ to be some way down. But the cliff side was way too steep and rocky to attempt to climb down…Not to mention the fact that it would probably take me three days to do so.

I couldn't control my body as I tried to get up, every limb I had trembling and shaking. The beating of my heart was going faster than anything I had experienced before. There was a noise behind me and I whirled around, breaking into a cold sweat.

Chase Young and at least five of his cats were standing in the mouth of the cage. He took a step forward, and I panicked.

And then, without a second thought, I dived headfirst over the edge of the cliff.

My eyes were closed as I felt wind rushing all around me, cool against my aching body. I opened them to see the ground coming faster and faster. I had to make this technique work; otherwise I'd be dead for sure.

I forced my hands up by my head, concentrating as I prepared to draw my element.

_Concentrate Kimiko. First stage._ The flames had just begun to come when suddenly, a huge puff of smoke erupted in front of me.

Everything happened so fast then.

Something hard crashed into me as the flames began to intensify. I couldn't see or register anything that way happening, and in surprise I stopped the fire from coming. Without warning, I felt my body flip around so that my head was facing upwards once again. I tried to scream, but no sound came.

Before I even had time to figure out what was happening, there was an abrupt jerk on my body and I suddenly felt like I was being forced upwards in the air. By now, my eyes were firmly shut and my mind was too overcome with confusion and fear to follow anything. There was something hard supporting me, and I frantically clutched on to it to keep myself from falling.

And then, everything stopped. My body lurched to a stop, still supported by who knows what. I cautiously opened my eyes to see remnants of smoke and a small room with a stained glass window.

I knew exactly where I was. In horror, I frenetically looked up to see Chase staring down at me, an evil smirk perched on his face. My heart stopped cold.

He dropped me from his arms, and I immediately figured out what had happened. Chase had transported himself while I was trying to get away, caught me, and then transported us both back into his lair.

And now, I was in the place I never thought I'd see again: the damn room where he had imprisoned me three years ago.

As my body crashed into the stone floor, I collapsed again, fear taking over my mind and body alike. My legs were shaking, and I couldn't stand up. Chase calmly walked around me and to the open doorway, where several of his cats were waiting.

I forced myself up from the floor into a kneeling position, my eyes wide with fear as I watched him go.

_No! _

"You can't do this!" I whispered frantically, my voice horror stricken. Chase paused and looked over his shoulder at me. Then, he disappeared.

Within seconds, I felt him breathing down my neck behind me. I cringed and closed my eyes, feeling tears begin to form.

"_I just did,"_ he whispered slyly. I opened my eyes in terror as something hard crashed into the back of my head. My last fleeting view was of the cats snarling at me before I fell forward into darkness.

_This can't be happening._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Morning took an eternity to arrive. I stirred slightly as sunlight began to come in through the stained glass windows, filling the room with an eerie red glow. I was sitting in the corner of the stone room shivering, my knees pulled up to my chest. As soon as I had woken up from Chase knocking me out, I had discarded the bed as soon as possible. The cold would do me good and help keep my senses alert.

Sleep had never returned to me once I awoke. I didn't think I wanted it to anyways: being unconscious made me extremely vulnerable, and in my position, I had to be on my guard. My stomach felt slightly sick as the memories of the previous day returned, and I shivered in spite of myself.

The beams of sunlight crept across the floor and rose to my face. I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut. The light should have been warm, but to me, it felt as cold as ice. I let out a soft whimper, then went back to my hunched position.

It took another hour or so for the sun to fully rise. I waited silently, never moving an inch from my spot on the floor. My legs and arms were stiff and cramped, but I didn't care. My body was already past the point of caring: what was a little more pain?

I wearily lifted my head for a moment to view the room I was imprisoned in. Nothing had changed since the day I had left it three years ago. The stained glass window was brilliantly shining in the sunlight as always, facing the small bureau and the vase on top of it. The bed still was enormous and loaded with black sheets. Besides the little bit of disturbance I had created on the blankets by my body, it appeared the bed had been untouched for some time.

The thick stone walls cast an appearance that I was being kept in a dungeon cell. It certainly felt that way to me. I immediately lowered my head back down, shivering in the cool air. My clothes had been torn to shreds, I realized, and the scraps of fabric weren't doing much to protect me from the cold.

Ten minutes passed, then a half hour. The sun was steady in the sky as morning finally came.

Then, without warning, the door burst open. I didn't stir as I heard the heavy footsteps of a few large warrior cats. They stopped only a foot away from me and growled impatiently. Then a heavy paw collided with the side of my head.

I winced in pain and slowly raised my head, a death-glare on my face. Four cats stood waiting for me, swishing their tails impatiently. "I assume Chase wants me?" I sighed heavily, clearly annoyed and angry. "Well, you can go tell him to piss off."

The cats weren't particularly pleased to hear this, as their growls deepened and their sharp teeth were barred at me. Next thing I knew, I was somehow sprawled out on the cool stone floor, a heavy feeling in the back of my head. I groaned and tried to sit up as a bundle of fabric landed at my knees.

I regretfully picked up the bundle and shook it out. It was a set of black robes in my size. This time, there was a golden sash instead of a red one. Directly in the middle of the strip of fabric, there was a small eye: the same exact one that Chase had on his armor. Scowling in disgust, I threw the clothes across the room at the cats. I was not about to wear anything of his: I'd rather go around in the skimpy clothes I had on now.

Suddenly, one of the cats transformed into a human and roughly grabbed my arm. I yelped in surprise as he jerked me to my feet, his eyes totally emotionless and blank. Within a second another human warrior was at his side carrying the clothes. I snarled at the both of them, trying to get away with every ounce of strength I possessed. I even summoned my element to burn his hand and keep the human away, but it appeared the gloves he wore were fireproof. Chase had thought of everything to make sure I was restrained.

Within a moment, I felt a sharp tug from the back of my neck, and the shirt I had been wearing fell to the floor in pieces. I shrieked loudly and tried to cover myself, but the other warrior merely grabbed my free wrist and tugged my arm away from my body. I felt the cool robe slip over my shoulders following, and a quiet sob escaped my throat.

I kicked both of them frantically as the same happened with my shorts, and I found myself wearing a pair of black pants that went down to a little past my knees. My eyes were squeezed shut to stop the tears by this point, and I didn't resist as one of them tied the sash tightly around my waist. Then they finally released me and I fell to the floor, completely humiliated.

Soon they were pulling me upwards and out the door. I snarled as they grabbed my arms and literally threw me through the doorway. I continued kicking and scratching and struggling as they pulled me down the hall. It occurred to me then that they probably didn't know what they were doing, but I didn't stop trying to escape them.

I blinked as an uneasy presence surrounded me as we exited my room. My senses were picking up something, but it was hard to distinguish what. I could feel anger from somewhere, and I assumed it was from Chase. The uneasiness grew with each passing second.

The warriors who were still cats went into a position, one in front of me and one behind. I sighed angrily as my feet slid uselessly along the stone floor. It wouldn't do me any good to try and struggle now anyways: I would need my energy to confront Chase.

I sighed again and stood up as they continued to drag me, then attempted to walk on my own. The warriors walked so fast and held me so tightly that I didn't think it made a difference whether I was walking or not.

Every turn we made brought back bad memories as I glanced at the cold stone walls. I lowered my head and kept walking, trying to get them away. The uneasiness within me grew which each step leading me closer and closer to Chase.

Finally, the warriors led me through a large stone archway. We were standing on a large balcony with the room with the stained glass windows and fountains below. My eyes automatically wandered to the figure standing at the edge of the grand staircase leading downwards. Chase was standing with his hands held behind his back, staring at the large wooden door on the lower level. His eyes were dark and narrowed, and I could instantly tell that my earlier instincts had been right: something was going on.

The warriors began to drag me roughly towards him and I resisted as much as I could until we were only a few feet away. Then they threw me at his feet.

I grimaced as I hit the stone, then forced myself onto my knees and glared at the cats. The two warriors had transformed back into their feline forms. It was then that I realized that I was literally inches away from Chase Young. A small shudder went through my shoulders as I looked up at him, fierce anger in my eyes.

He merely glanced down at me, and then turned to the cats. Snapping his fingers, the felines quickly descended the steps towards the entryway. I realized there must have been a hundred warrior cats below us, growling and standing in what looked like fighting stances, like they were about to pounce. They all faced the large wooden door I had come through the night before.

"Chase, why am I here?" I demanded, getting to my feet. "You have no right to kid-"

"I had every right," he responded calmly, turning and facing me. He walked away from the stairs on the balcony and instead walked backwards towards the arch. Chase held a small bowl in his hand that I didn't see before, and he took a sip from whatever was in it. I don't know if it was just me, but I swore I saw the color of his eyes darken as soon as he drank. Whatever what was in there, it smelled disgusting.

I walked closer to the stairs, staring at the cats below us listening intently. Far off, I could hear faint strains of voices.

"Your comrades have been fighting all night to get in here. But don't get hopeful…If they manage to get in, my warriors will rip them apart." Chase said rather emotionlessly, breaking my thoughts. He peered at the door with disgust, then looked down at me again.

My eyes widened as I scrambled to my feet, running past Chase and towards the steps. But before I had even descended a single step, he caught me easily around the waist and pulled me backwards.

"…You're not going anywhere."

I narrowed my eyes and pushed myself away from him using a bit of firepower. Sliding backwards on my feet, I quickly concentrated and formed fire in my hands.

"You can't keep me here," I told him in a low voice. "You can't. I owe you nothing; my loyalty is no longer sworn to you! Why the hell did you bring me here?! Three years have passed with you nowhere to be found, but now all of a sudden you send your damn jungle cats to kidnap me?! Tell me, _why am I here?!_"

Chase's eyes slightly narrowed as he turned to face me. For a moment, I felt my fire weaken as I shrank back. He wore the same dangerous look in his eyes as last night, and I knew Chase wasn't himself. The color of his eyes told me everything. They had darkened to a deep topaz color, and the pupils had narrowed into slits. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I prepared to fight, just in case he attacked me. I suddenly felt extremely short and weak compared to him as Chase took a step forward.

Suddenly, the feeling in the air changed and Chase was back to normal. A small breath escaped my throat as he looked away towards the door, his eyes perfectly normal and their regular golden color. I was almost afraid to move or speak as I wondered whether I had imagined the change or not.

Then, Chase looked back at me, perfectly calm. "That is not important as of now."

Almost snarling in frustration, I drew back my hands and hurled myself at him. Quickly aiming a punch at his chin, I swept my foot around and kicked straight for his gut while my free hand punched his side. Chase caught me as if I were a rag doll and spun me around, grabbing one arm and wrenching it behind my back. He used his other arm to pull my chest against his and pin my other arm at my side.

I glared up at him but made no struggle to move: I knew it would be impossible to get out. Chase stared down at me, a half glower, half smirk on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, when abruptly, the door to his lair burst open below.

I snapped my head over to see three teenage boys and an old man hurl themselves into the sea of jungle cats, fighting with Shen Gong Wu.

Raimundo, Clay, Omi and even Master Fung had come to rescue me.

I could hardly breath as I watched Raimundo throw a cat off him with his element. He looked up towards us, and I felt our eyes connect with a desperate glance. "KIMIKO!" he shouted to me, trying to get near the stairs.

A growl so low and savage that it scared me erupted from across from me. For a moment, I thought it was a jungle cat, but then I realized I could feel the vibrations coming from Chase's chest. His eyes had returned to the angry topaz color, and I could feel his body stiffen and grip tighten against me. The dark energy I had sensed before returned to his body. I let out a gasp as he threw me away from him and the staircase, directly into the arms of two transformed warriors.

"Take her away, she'll only be troublesome," he snarled. I could almost see him shaking with rage and my eyes widened. This was not Chase…It couldn't be. Something was terribly wrong, but I didn't know what.

I grunted as I hit them, but managed to tear myself away from their grip and rush forward. Chase was standing off to the side, leaving the stairway open. I kept running, hoping to dodge them and get down to my friends. An inch before the stairs, he suddenly was standing a foot away from me, his arm outstretched in the path I was about to follow. I skidded to a halt, knowing he would block me no matter what I did.

Desperately, I looked at the battle taking place below. Most of the cats had been wiped out, but the guys were beginning to be out powered. Even so, Omi was using the Eye of Dashi like his life depended on it, Clay was charging with the Fist of Tebigong and Raimundo was using the Sword of the Storm like an actual sword. I couldn't see Master Fung anywhere, and for a moment, I thought he had been defeated.

Neither Chase nor I moved as I watched them fighting, feeling the panicky, frantic desperate feeling I had felt the night before build up. I had to get away. I was scared for what would happen if I didn't.

I tried to get past him again, but he quickly blocked me. I narrowed my eyes and aimed a punch directly at his jaw. He caught it easily and threw me off balance, then kicked me directly in the chest. I grimaced and hit the stone side of the balcony, rolling out of the way as Chase tried to grab my arm. Within an instant I was back on my feet and running for the stairs.

He blocked me in the same way he had before, and I found myself trying to catch my breath as he stood in front of me. The warriors who had tried to restrain me a few moments ago were no where to be found

I looked down again, a distressed look in my eyes. _No…I have to do this!_

"Let me go Chase," I said quickly, trying to push past him. He didn't budge.

"No," he growled at me. He grabbed my upper arm, holding me so tightly that I thought he would break my arm. His voice had changed as well, or was it my imagination? Chase had sounded, if possible more…evil.

I kicked him and tried to yank myself away, knowing none of my friends could come help me this time. They were fighting for their lives as well as mine down there. My desperation was building up inside of me with each passing moment.

Then, out of the sea of warrior cats, Master Fung appeared on the bottom of the staircase. He looked untouched and was calm, not breathing heavily or slightly wounded like the guys.

"Kimiko, come," he said urgently, extending with hand upwards towards us. In an act of desperation, I tried to wrench myself away from Chase.

And to my surprise, I slipped away from his grasp.

As I felt my arm slip away from his hand, I began to run down the steps, trying to get down to Master Fung. For a few seconds, false hope lit within me. I could see my friends so clearly, like they were only a few steps away.

Then the hope inside me died as Chase appeared on the steps right in front of me. Before I could dodge him, he grabbed my wrists and didn't let go, preventing me from going any farther.

"Get off!" I snarled, taking a desperate measure and kneeing upwards between the fork of his legs. But before any real blows could land on him, Chase and jumped and switched position so that he was on the higher step and behind me.

"Chase! Let me go! You can't stop-"

I stopped in mid sentence as Chase towered over me, almost breaking my wrist with the pressure of his grip. "Never," he hissed, his voice so low and deadly that I could only just hear it. The darkness of his eyes intensified and a shuddered as I felt the dark Heylin energy.

"I owe you nothing," I snarled back in return. An unwanted gasp erupted from my throat as he gripped my wrist even harder. I felt certain he was going to snap it in two.

Suddenly, Chase switched his position in restraining me so that his thumb was directly over the bottom of my wrist. He was gripping the side of my hand tightly, and I could see my palm slightly shake.

His eyes were dark and wild, full of energy I'd never seen before. I looked up in terror at Chase, shrinking back some on the step but unable to move away. For a moment as he smirked, I thought I saw fangs slightly protruding from his teeth. But maybe it was just my imagination. My gaze fell quickly to his other hand, which was clenched into a fist and shaking. His glove tore a crack and I stared at his hand in shock.

_Scales?!_ No...That was impossible…wasn't it?

But before I had a time to react, Chase began to speak, making me grow cold on the step.

"_You belong to me!"_ he snarled in a low voice, sounding especially dangerous. He pressed his thumb deeper into my wrist, staring with his wild eyes directly at me and an evil grin on his face.

Then, pain hit me like I had never felt before. It shot through my wrist and entered my body, burning as if someone was pressing red-hot coals against my skin. My mouth opened as I felt my body begin to numb, and I sank to my knees on the steps. Far off, I could hear someone screaming, and with a jolt of horror, I realized it was me.

The pain was unrelenting as I collapsed on the steps, numbness taking over my body. Chase still hung onto my wrist, sending more of the fiery energy through me. I dazedly looked up at him to see Chase suddenly release my wrist.

But the pain didn't stop. Gasping, I grabbed my shaking arm right below where his thumb had been and gripped it hard, in an attempt to relieve some of the throbbing. It didn't help. I broke out into a cold sweat as my eyes fell onto my wrist.

My skin was _glowing_.

I stared in horror at the mark on my wrist, but I didn't have time to comprehend what it was. Master Fung had appeared out of nowhere, and suddenly I was on my feet with my arm around his shoulders for support. Numbly, I looked behind me to see Chase just standing on the steps like he had been before. The wildness had disappeared from his eyes and as I stared, they met mine. I saw a triumphant look spread across his face. I don't remember what happened next, but suddenly I had fallen forward and someone else had caught me.

The next few minutes were just a blur. I was in so much pain and so confused that I couldn't think straight, or figure out what was going on. I realized that Clay was carrying me while running, and suddenly, the darkness of Chase's lair had changed into the brightness of daylight.

As a bolt of pain jolted through my body, I gasped and grabbed my wrist again, staring at it in horror and terror still. It was then that I could clearly make out what it was.

A symbol had seemingly been burned into the underside of my wrist, just where his thumb had been. It was glowing like a red-hot coal, still sending pain throughout my skin. My eyes wandered over the pattern, and with some surprise, I realized it was an oddly positioned dragon. Its head was turned to the right and breathing a trail of fire down towards its tail. The dragon's body was curved in a circle, but the tail was pointing relatively straight up. Gripping my arm harder to keep from crying out, I realized with a jolt of horror that the dragon's body formed the initials CY.

Feeling extremely dizzy for a few moments, I tried to take in everything that had happened. But I think I must have fainted, for suddenly I was lying down with my head in Raimundo's lap and Master Fung right by my side. I opened my eyes wearily to feel wind flying past my face. We were flying, presumably on Dojo. I hadn't seen him during the heat of the battle, but I assumed he had been under Clay's hat like he always was..

I gasped and grabbed my wrist again, feeling like my arm was on fire. I heard Master Fung say something far away, even though he was right over me.

"It's _burning_," I managed to whimper, feeling heat radiating off my skin. I was the Dragon of _Fire_: I never felt burns or fire or anything from my element. Yet here it felt like I was being burned alive. I cried again and squeezed my eyes shut as someone tried to pry my fingers off my wrist. Whoever it was succeeded and held my other arm down. Then, the pain was too much.

"_My wrist is burning!"_ I almost screamed, jolting up from my lying-down position and trying to re-grab my wrist. Three pairs of arms tried to force me down again as the burning intensified. I let out a choked sob as more of the pain ran through me.

"Omi, I need ice!" Master Fung shouted in an urgent voice. A brief period of cooling fell onto the burning symbol before all I felt was water running down my side. I opened my eyes and tried to look up at everyone, but my vision was failing me. The dark edges around the corner of my view slowly expanded, engulfing everything into darkness. I let my head fall back as I took a few deep breaths, the pain as prominent as ever.

Then, I let the darkness consume my body and I drifted off into sleep.

I was safe…For the most part.

(-)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The silence around me was thick as I came back to my senses. For a few minutes, I drifted in and out of a light sleep before finally realizing I was conscious again. Grimacing, I forced my heavy eyes open and looked around at my blurry surroundings.

I was on what looked like a small hospital bed, in a white room that I knew to be the infirmary of the Temple. My soiled and ripped black clothes had been removed, and now I was wearing a soft set of white robes.

There was a small noise to my side, and I looked over to see Raimundo slumped over and snoring in a chair that had been pulled up to the bed. By the looks of his clothes, he hadn't changed or moved after the fight. With a small smile on my face, I tucked my pillow behind his head before a small throb of pain returned to my wrist.

I froze immediately and flicked my fingers as more of the pain returned.

There was a heavy set of bandages wrapped around my wrist, which for the moment had been soaking in a small bucket of ice-cold water. I shivered and drew my pale hand out before drying it on the sheets that were laid overtop of me. My wrist began to throb with the same burning feeling, but not nearly as intense as when Chase had been making the mark. Taking a sharp intake of breath at the prospects of what I might find underneath the bandages, I began to unwind the cloth from my wrist.

Suddenly, a large tan hand fell overtop of mine, and I looked up to see Raimundo staring at me. His hair was messier than I had ever seen it and he looked tired from the slight bags under his eyes.

"Don't touch it," he said softly. "Master Fung said to keep it wrapped." Rai grabbed the bit of bandage I had unwound and began to wrap it more tightly around my wrist. I watched him in silence, feeling a heavy weight in my chest.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked at last. Raimundo finished wrapping my wrist and sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"A day. Though you were kind of hysterical a few times…I think Master Fung might have given you a sedative or something to shut you up."

_A whole day? _I ignored Raimundo's comment and jolted up in the bed as my eyes widened. _Chase…No, he could be coming back any minute now_! They had knocked me out for a day when I could have been training for when he came back? "What's going on?" I asked quickly. "What happened after I passed out?"

"Relax," he sighed, running a few fingers through his hair. "We brought you back to the Temple after…Well, you know…And Fung rushed you straight here…He had some of the other monks try to put a seal or something on your wrist to stop that mark from doing something, but it didn't work so he just had Omi freeze your hand a few times to stop the pain…And he made me guard you while he, Omi and Clay went to go alert the other monks about what happened…Just in case _he_ comes back, you know? Master Fung said…"

Raimundo suddenly stopped and sighed heavily, looking at me funny. And for the first time in my life, I think I saw Raimundo Pedrosa actually look remorseful. It was weird for him to act like that at all, and I stared at him with a slightly confused expression.

"Kimiko, I'm so sorry for not believing you about Chase…I just woke up in the middle of my night and saw that text you had sent me, and I knew you had been right…He was just waiting for the right time. I should have protected you...I mean, your room is right next to mine and all…I can't believe I could have slept through Chase kidnapping you and all…"

I blinked and shook my head before crossing my arms. "It's not your fault, Raimundo. You didn't do anything wrong…There was nothing any of us could have done to stop him. And if it weren't for you…I'd probably still be in there. But hey, I'm back here now. We'll worry about Chase when we have to."

Raimundo looked away awkwardly, and I narrowed my eyes. He was obviously keeping something from me, but I pretended I didn't notice and punched him in the arm with my good hand. He toppled over in the chair and let out a few curses as I scowled down at him. Rai stuck his tongue out in return, and grumbled as he stood up and brushed off his clothes.

"Jeez, how old are you Raimundo? Eighteen or eight?"

"Shut up…" he growled back, sticking his tongue out again. "If I wasn't supposed to be guarding you right now, you would be in trouble."

Rolling my eyes, I threw back the sheets and shakily got out of the bed, rubbing the bandages over my wrist. The mark was beginning to drive me crazy, and I had an urge to rip back the bandages and touch the mark I hadn't seen fully yet. After feeling Raimundo's watchful eye, I thought better of it and instead forced my hands to their sides.

"Where is everyone now?" I asked, looking around the empty room and beginning to head for the door. Raimundo hastily caught up to me and grabbed my arm.

"Hey! Wait, Master Fung told me to keep you in the infirmary. You need to rest after all of that."

I sighed angrily and smacked Raimundo in the stomach. He winced and dropped my arm while glaring at me all the while.

"Does it look like I need rest?"

"…No…But-"

"Rai, please, just tell me where everyone is." Raimundo sighed and rubbed the back of his head while looking down at me.

"Omi and Clay are in the scroll room…They've been trying to find information on that mark and Chase Young…but I don't think they're having much luck. Dojo's with them, since he knows more than any of us. Master Fung and the other monks were having a meeting about what happened…Most of them are on the lookout for Chase now, but Fung wants to make sure Chase never steps foot in here before we're ready. He won't tell any of us what's going on besides that, but we sort of figured some of it out…." Raimundo looked away from me, and I could tell again he was hiding something. I stopped walking and faced him, feeling desperate for information.

"Rai…what's going on? Why are you acting like this?" He sighed and looked back to me, his mouth set in a thin line and looking way too serious to be the Raimundo I knew.

"Master Fung thinks…that Chase will attack before nightfall today."

I looked away with a heavy feeling in my stomach. Chase was coming back for me. Well, I had a thought in the back of my mind that he would, but everything seemed so soon. My mind was occupied with the remembrances of my terror filled night in Chase's lair, and I shuddered. I would give anything to stay away from Chase.

"Kim? Kim, you alright?" I heard Raimundo say distantly, even though he was standing over me. "I knew I should have kept you in bed…Come on, Fung will kill me anyways if he sees you out."

"Rai, I'm fine," I said firmly. I turned and began to walk again towards the scroll room with Raimundo trailing behind me. "I want to see Omi and Clay." He shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets, and I was lost in my thoughts once more.

* * *

There were pieces of parchment, ancient scrolls and books strewn all across the room as I entered. Making sure I didn't step on anything, I peered around the scroll room for any sign of the two boys. After a few minutes, I saw Omi poke his head out from behind a giant pile of scrolls.

"Kimiko!" he chirped in his usual cheerful tone, despite his ragged appearance. He, like Raimundo and Clay, who had just emerged from a side door carrying a sandwich, looked weary and beaten. It had obviously been some time since they had last slept or changed his clothes. But then again, I wouldn't put it past them to wear the same clothes a few days in a row, no matter how dirty they were. "It is good to see you down and walking!"

"Up and running, Omi," Raimundo groaned. Omi stared past me to him and blinked. "Oh. My badness."

"Howdy, Kimiko," Clay called from behind a shelf. He ducked to the side, tipped his hat to me and disappeared back into the mess of scrolls. I looked around the room, and suddenly felt slightly ashamed.

"I'm sorry all of this happened," I said softly, sitting down across from Omi and taking the nearest scroll. The characters were in Chinese, and I scowled since I couldn't read them. Omi took the rolled parchment from me and scanned the page before throwing it behind him. "I'm sorry you guys have to do all of this…I never knew anything like this would ever happen…And I don't want you guys doing all this stuff just because of Chase…and me…It should be my burden alone to bare."

The room suddenly grew very quiet as all three of my friends looked at me. Omi put down the scroll he was reading, Clay came out from behind the shelf, and Raimundo sat down across from me. They all gave me long looks, and I suddenly felt a bit intimidated. No wonder other guys were afraid to talk to me when we all went out together: my friends were almost threatening when they gave you a long, hard look.

"Kimiko, this is everyone's battle," Omi said solemnly. His round eyes met mine, and I looked down, rubbing my thumb over the burning mark on my wrist. "We fight against all evil. This is only a small price to pay for the defeat of a Heylin warrior."

"And if it means protecting you, lil' lady, we'll work harder than a horse on plowin' day."

"Kimiko, you're our best friend. We're not about to just let you face some Heylin dude on your own. We're right behind you, no matter what."

I looked up and smiled shyly at them, although my eyes were still downcast. "Thank you…" I said quietly. Omi nodded and disappeared again behind the pile of scrolls while Clay and Raimundo wandered behind the shelf again. I took the next scroll closest to me, though I wasn't exactly sure what to look for. Omi must have had a pretty good idea though, since he was through half his scrolls already. I sighed and clenched my hand into a fist. The mark was beginning to burn slightly against my skin, and I wanted to see what was going on underneath the bandages.

The silence of the room was suddenly shattered as Dojo banged open the door and slithered in, clutching a book in one of his claws and looking around wildly. "I found it!" he shouted, slithering as fast as his footless body would carry him. He jumped onto the desk where Omi was, scattering the already messy pile of scrolls.

"It's about time," Raimundo said, jumping over the fallen scrolls and coming over to the dragon. Omi climbed up on the desk beside Dojo as Clay grabbed his hat and came over.

"Found what Dojo?" I asked, getting to my feet. I looked more closely at the book: it looked even older than Omi's "Ancient Guide to Females," and that was saying something. There were weird Chinese characters on the front, but before I could get a better look, Dojo turned the cover and looked at me suspiciously.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he asked, crossing his arms. Dojo glared at Raimundo, and he threw up his hands in exasperation

"It's Kimiko, Dojo. Did you think she'd stay put?"

"Good point. Well, Fung should be here any second, so you better-"

"Dojo, what did you find?" I interrupted impatiently. "I'm not going anywhere until you read me what's in that book!"

Dojo looked at me with squinty eyes before sighing and flipping open the ancient pages. "We've been researching since we brought you home about that mark Chase made on you…But Omi and Clay haven't been able to find anything…I knew Dashi had a book awhile ago with this sort of thing in it…But I didn't find it until now."

He looked around the room, and I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, feeling anxious.

"Well, read it then!"

"I think I better wait for Master-"

"READ IT!" we all shouted at once.

"Okay, okay! Don't need to yell…Now let's see…" Dojo cleared his voice, and I found that my hands were already rubbing the burning mark in anticipation.

"…The most common difference of property ownership were small marks, often made on an easy to see place such as the face or hand…These markings were usually permanent once put upon flesh and consisted of the name, symbol or crest of a powerful family or lord…Often these marks were tattooed into the skin or carved as to form scars, but the most common way was to brand them using hot metal or a source of heat in the shape of the mark. Some powerful warriors had the ability to create them using only their hands, which was easy to do in the case of marking more than a few at a time.

"The marks were made on slaves or servants as a way to show possession, but were mostly made on young warriors who had great potential. Older and more powerful warriors wishing to raise an army, create an apprentice or a heir, or gain more power for their own personal use scouted training grounds and marked those who would be most useful to them in the future. This way, no other powerful warrior could try and claim the younger as their own, or take their powers for their own use. The marks used almost always resembled a dragon to represent their warrior status, though the shapes and forms of the dragon differed with each powerful lord…"

The room was suddenly spinning slightly, and I felt my mouth go dry as Dojo continued to read. The mark was burning stronger than ever, and I gripped it hard in my other hand, digging my nails into the bandages. I could vaguely feel the guy's eyes on me, but I was looking at the floor to avoid them.

"…One of the most common practices in a wedding from the groom to the bride, were the use of dragon-"

My head snapped upwards as I heard Dojo continue, but I could no longer hear his voice. "What?" I said weakly and panicked, feeling suddenly light headed and weak in the knees.

_No…Chase didn't want anything like that. Dojo had just said something about warriors…I was a warrior…He doesn't want me to…_

My thoughts began to jumble and I felt even more dizzy than before. The corners of my visions got lighter, and I had one fleeting glance of the guys looking at me worriedly before I saw the ground coming faster and faster towards me.

* * *

As I came to, I could distantly hear voices from overtop of me. Wincing from the pain in my head, I shifted my weight against the floor I was laying on and attempted to open my eyes.

"…I knew I should have kept her in bed. I'm sorry, I'll do extra chores or something…Wait, what am I saying?"

"Hush, Raimundo. Kimiko is awakening."

I groaned and opened my eyes slowly, making out the blurry images of someone leaning over me. I blinked a few times before realizing it was Master Fung, and Dojo peering expectantly over his shoulder. Omi, Raimundo and Clay were right behind them. Closing my eyes for a moment, I struggled to sit up before rubbing my head.

"Sorry," Dojo said sheepishly, scratching his head with one claw. "I didn't realize I moved on to the next section. See?" The book was shoved in my face, and I had a quick glance of an illustration of some flamboyant wedding with dragon decorations before Master Fung pushed it away.

I shook my head and shakily stood up from the floor with the help of Master Fung. "He doesn't want that, right?" I asked in the same weak voice, still worried. "Chase…He doesn't want…He wouldn't-"

"Marriage? No, Kimiko. Chase Young has no need for the burdens of union or anything of the sort. His intentions are clear enough from what Dojo has read previously," Master Fung reassured me.

I sighed and leaned against the desk before a sharp pain emitted from my wrist. I gasped and grabbed it again, feeling heat from under the bandages. Master Fung looked at me sharply, and extended his palm towards me.

"Kimiko, please show me your wrist."

I blinked and reached my arm out towards him as more pain began to flow through it. I had to dig my other fingers into my robes to stop myself from touching it.

Master Fung began to unwrap the bandages slowly, and I could feel Omi, Clay and Raimundo watching from behind us. I shifted uncomfortably as he pulled away the piece of cloth, and I saw for the first time clearly what Chase had done.

The symbol had turned a dark brown on my skin, and now I could make out even more clearly the figure of the dragon. I traced the figure in disgust with my eyes as Master Fung, Dojo and the guys stared at it.

Then, another bout of pain shot through it, and I automatically brought up my hand to touch it. But before my hand had even crossed my body, Master Fung knocked it away sharply.

"Do not touch the mark," he said quickly, beginning to rewrap my wrist. I blinked in curiosity as I saw the mark glow slightly before disappearing under the cloth. "Chase Young will be able to locate you quickly if you touch it directly. We must not have you bringing him here any sooner than necessary."

"Why does it hurt so much still?" I asked, wincing as the pain grew slightly stronger. "It should have stopped by now…But it's getting stronger."

Master Fung sighed and looked solemnly out the window. "I am not certain, but I believe it is a warning from Chase Young. He can control what you feel in that mark, and by giving you pain…He is telling us that he will come soon. Before I believed we had a day at most, but now he might come at any time. We must be ready to fight at all costs to protect you and the Temple."

My eyes widened, and again I felt the shame of how much destruction I was brining upon my friends. They would do anything to help me, but I didn't want them getting hurt by Chase.

"If he comes here, he'll destroy the Temple…" I said slowly, feeling panicked. "I'll go away…I'll hide in the mountains, he'll come to me! Don't endanger the Temple! It'll be safer for everyone if I just-"

"No, Kimiko," Master Fung interrupted. "You will stay here and remain under our protection. If you go off on your own, you will have no chance of fighting him. The Temple is your safest option."

"But I don't want anyone to get hurt!" I shouted at him. "It's not fair to let anyone fight him, when it's my stupid fault in the first place that he's here!"

"Kimiko, you will remain here. Do not question my decision."

I snapped my mouth close and angrily crossed my arms before storming towards the door. "I'm going to change into my battle robes," I mumbled. "If he's coming soon, I have to be ready."

"Raimundo, go," Master Fung said sharply from behind me. I heard the rustling of scrolls as Raimundo jumped over a pile of parchment, and then grabbed my arm. I turned around and looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"When Chase Young arrives, you will not fight him Kimiko," Master Fung said calmly. He began to move forward with Dojo at his side, and the guys looked at my guiltily. They already knew.

"What?" I exclaimed, jerking my arm from Raimundo's grasp. "But I have to! Master Fung, I'm fighting no matter what-"

"If Chase Young sees you, he will waste no time in capturing you again. We cannot lose you to the forces of evil and risk years of darkness like what happened three years ago. No, you will remain hidden in a place Chase Young cannot reach until the battle has finished."

_"NO!"_ I shouted back. "That's not-"

"Kimiko, you will not fight! This is not a time for recklessness, and that is an order! Do as you are told."

I angrily whirled around and stormed from the room, almost slamming the door in Raimundo's face. He chased after me as I fumed towards my own bedroom to get new clothes.

I was going to fight, whether they liked it or not. Master Fung wasn't about to stop me. I wasn't going to just watch my friends get hurt because of me, when I could be fighting with them. I felt the pain in my wrist flair up, and for a second I considered running away. That would certainly stop all of this.

"Kimiko, wait!" Raimundo shouted. He caught up to me and dodged in front of where I was walking. "Stop doing this. It's for the best, you know? Chase won't be able to get to you, and-"

"I'm not just going to watch you get hurt, Raimundo," I interrupted. "This is completely unfair! It's not like I'm unfit to fight, or I can't handle Chase Young." Well, that was a slight lie, but I didn't care. I only wanted to fight.

"Think about this Kim," Rai said. He grabbed my shoulders to stop me from walking, and I angrily glared up at him. "If you go back with Chase…Who knows what could happen. He could take over the world again, but this time he could really make you destroy us. You're so much stronger than three years ago! Think about that!"

I looked away and bit my lip as Raimundo continued. "Chase made that mark on you for a reason, but we don't know exactly why yet. If you fight and get captured, he'll use you for evil! You can't let that happen again! But if you don't fight, we can keep you safe and take care of Chase once and for all…Like Fung said, if Chase sees you, he'll go after you first."

He let go of me and I stood hesitantly for a second, crossing my arms. "But I still want to fight. It feels wrong for you guys to be fighting for me. I want to solve my own problems."

"You won't have that chance if Chase gets to you."

I sighed and looked up at him, still angry. "How will I know if something bad happens if I'm in hiding?"

"I'll keep my cell phone on record. You'll be able to hear everything."

I dropped my arms from my chest and looked around, feeling slightly defeated. The mark prickled uncomfortably on my skin as a sharp bit of wind began to pick up. "Fine," I sighed. "I'll-"

I never finished. Pain shot through my wrist, stronger than anything I had felt yet this day, and I let out an agonizing cry. I doubled over and squeezed my eyes shut, digging my nails into the bandage as far as they could go. The pain was almost as bad as when Chase had first made the mark.

"Kim? Kim, what's going on?" Raimundo frantically asked above me. He helped me stand back up and looked wildly around as I continued to struggle through the pain

"It won't stop…" I gasped under my breath. "It…hurts!"

Raimundo suddenly yelled and pushed me to the side as I stumbled away from the spot I had been standing. I whirled around as he grabbed my arm and yanked me behind him. Raimundo was staring with horror at the place I had been, and I froze as I saw why.

A large jungle cat was standing there, growling maliciously at Raimundo and staring past him to me. I could feel my heart pounding faster in my chest, and I took a quick intake of breath out of fear. The cat slowly sat down and stared at us.

_"Give me the girl, and we'll have no reason to attack. We will leave this temple in peace. No one will get hurt."_

I stared incredulously at the feline, which apparently had spoken to us. I felt Raimundo stiffen, and knew he had heard the cat too.

"Like hell I will!" he snapped, pulling a pendant from his shirt that I hadn't seen before. He held up the Eye of Dashi at the cat, and I stood closer to Raimundo. "You can go tell your master that he's never going to lay a hand on her again!"

"That is a pity," a slow, icy voice from behind us said. I froze entirely, my eyes filled with fear. "…And I was considering allowing everyone here to live."

_No…He can't be here…He can't!_

Raimundo turned, I with him, to see Chase Young staring back at us. His golden eyes connected to mine, and a smirk wove across his face. He was standing with his arms crossed, twenty cats growling patiently behind him. As we stood, more cats began to slink into a circle around us from behind buildings and seemingly out of the air. The mark burned brightly on my skin, and I clenched up in fear next to Raimundo.

We were surrounded.

* * *

**(Review!)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I pressed my back against Raimundo's as we looked around the circle, and I quickly weighed the outcomes. I had no Shen Gong Wu or weapons, and Raimundo by the looks of it only had the Eye of Dashi. We were seriously out powered.

"I was prepared to keep all of you alive," Chase continued. His eyes were still fixed on me, and I knew at once that his dark side was back. This Chase was not the one I had met three years ago: it was the darker one who had made the mark and terrorized me only a day ago. "…But, I've given you your chance to live, and if you refuse…" He snapped his fingers, and the cats approached menacingly.

"Rai…" I whispered, my voice filled with obvious fear. I reached my hand out behind me to his elbow, and he winced.

"Don't even think about it Kim," he whispered back. "I'm not going to let him take you!"

The cats moved even closer, their teeth barred directly at Rai. They were prepared to rip him apart: Chase wasn't kidding when he said he would kill him. I watched in panic as the circle surrounded us tighter, the cats swishing their tails in expectation, waiting for when Chase gave the final order.

"Do you still refuse?" Chase asked from beyond the cats. His eyes focused on me, and the mark flared up in pain. I gasped, and Raimundo tensed.

"You're not going to get her back, Chase!"

A smirk formed on the Heylin warrior's face, and instantly, Chase snapped his fingers. The cats lunged at us, ready to rip Raimundo apart to shreds.

My legs were frozen in place and shaking: I couldn't move at all, and I watched helplessly as the cats came straight towards us. Raimundo pushed me behind him and braced himself to attack. I, being frozen in fear and too weak to try and fight, stupidly let him.

The nearest cat jumped into the air and came straight at us, its claws unsheathed and large teeth ready to attack. I cried out and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the impact to knock us down.

Nothing came. I heard the snarls of a few cats in pain, and Rai gasped. My eyes flew open, then widened.

Master Fung was in front of us, holding off the cat with a long, wooden staff. Omi and Clay were behind us, each in a different fighting stance and holding a Shen Gong Wu to fight. The cats growled, and I looked around frantically.

"Raimundo, go!" Master Fung shouted urgently, throwing him something golden as he tried to hold off the cats. Raimundo caught it easily and grabbed my arm. I had a quick glimpse of the cats lunging again at us before Raimundo jerked me through a portal he had opened up.

There was a flash of light, and suddenly Rai and I landed on a cold, stone floor. I gasped and scrambled to my feet as Raimundo slowly got to his, holding the Golden Tiger Claws.

We were standing in a small, cold room, entirely made of stone and looking vaguely familiar. The walls were carved with weird flowers and vines, and there was a statue of a dragon towards the back of the room. I looked around in confusion, then back to Rai. "…Where are we?"

He sighed and stood up, brushing dirt off his clothes. Rai looked as on edge and nervous as I was, but he tried not to show it. "We're in the chamber where we kept the Heylin seed, remember?" he said, looking around as well. "Chase has no idea how to get in here, so you'll be safe as long as he doesn't know where you are."

As he spoke, a fiercer pain ran through my arm, and I gasped hastily. My fingers reached for the mark, and Raimundo caught my hand. I blinked and looked up to see him staring sternly at me.

"You can't touch it, Kim. If you do, Chase'll know where you are in a heartbeat…And the whole point of you being down here is to keep him away."

I slowly lowered my arm back to my side, and Raimundo let go of me. Then, he ran his fingers through his hair and picked up the Golden Tiger Claws. "I have to go," he said urgently. "They need more help up there, and I have to alert the other monks."

"You're leaving me here alone?" I blurted out. "B-But I'll be stuck here forever! What if something goes wrong, and I'm stuck here? There's no door, and-"

"You're supposed to be stuck so Chase can't get to you," Rai interrupted, his voice slightly urgent. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but if we don't come back for you within a day, you have to get yourself out. Press the top flower on the vine…The door will open for you, and you can get out. We were supposed to leave you here with provisions…But, there's no time now. Chase came sooner than we thought, and no one's well prepared."

He sighed and glanced down at me before ripping a portal open with the Golden Tiger Claws. I stepped forward after him, and he pushed me back. "Rai, please, let me fight," I begged one last time. "I don't want you to get hurt! What if Chase destroys the Temple looking for me? He knows I'm here!"

"Not now Kim…We could be anywhere after I used the Claws. And you know we won't let him do that…We'll fight to the death if we have to."

Before I could protest, Raimundo punched me playfully in the arm and disappeared. The room darkened as silence prevailed, and I collapsed to the floor. I was all alone, unable to hear or see anything going on above me. My eyes fell on the flower that would grant me freedom, and I was tempted to escape…But the other monks had done so much to ensure that I was safe, and I didn't want to wreck that…Not right away, at least.

I sighed and leaned back against the wall, feeling my heart pound loudly in my chest. I was still recovering from Chase's sudden appearance, and nothing seemed to be right in my head. I couldn't keep my thoughts together at all, and my hands were shaking. The pain in my wrists was as prominent as ever, and I struggled to keep myself from touching it. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

These were going to be the longest hours of my life.

* * *

Raimundo ducked as he jumped out of the portal, narrowly missing an arrow that flew sharply over his head. He looked around to see the Temple in chaos: Omi and Clay were fighting the cats with most of the older monks, and Master Fung was going hand to hand with Chase Young himself. Without a second thought, he shoved the Golden Tiger Claws into his belt and joined the battle.

At once he found himself faced with a large warrior cat, and he summoned his element to fight it off. Omi and Clay were doing the same, though occasionally using their favored Shen Gong Wu. Remembering the Eye of Dashi around his neck, Raimundo tugged it out of his robes and faced the snarling feline.

"Eye of Dashi!" he yelled, just as the cat sprang towards him. The energy shot out and the cat yowled in pain, dropping to all fours and darting off. He smirked, and ran towards where Omi and Clay were fighting.

"Rai! Glad t'see you, partner!" Clay called, locked into battle with a cat as big as he was. Raimundo nodded and immediately threw himself into the melee, helping Omi drive off one of the felines. Chase and Master Fung had disappeared for the moment, and only the younger monks were left to fight off the cats. They were heavily surrounded, and Raimundo wondered if they would be able to take all of them.

"Raimundo!" Omi called, wiping sweat off his brow. He lowered the Orb of Tornami as he finished freezing a cat in a block of ice, and tried to get closer to him in the heat of the battle. Rai managed to slide over to him, and together they pushed away a particularly large jungle cat. "Is she safe?"

"Don't say anything out loud," Raimundo reminded him in a low voice. Clay managed to join them and the three looked around. They were completely surrounded again, and already they were wearing down, while the cats were relentless. Raimundo sighed and gave the other a sharp nod. Then, all three of the Xiaolin Dragons sprang into formation, ready to fight the cats with all they had.

* * *

I paced nervously back and forth in the small room, occasionally bumping into the walls and the statues, since I couldn't see anything. It had been at least two hours since Raimundo had left me, and I was scared out of my mind for them. I wanted more than anything to go help fight, but I knew Master Fung and the others would have a fit. After all, if Master Fung had nearly killed Raimundo when he came back while we were fighting Mala Mala Jong, I don't he would be too kind to me this time.

Groaning, I sat down and leaned back against the wall. The mark was burning more prominently than ever, and I could actually see it glowing from underneath the bandages. I hissed in pain and bit my lip. There was an odd feeling in my body that made me feel like if I touched it, the pain would go away.

…But that would mean that Chase would know where I was.

Instead of taking off the bandages, I sat on my hands and tried to relax. It was virtually impossible. Occasionally over the past few hours, I heard faint sounds of conflict above me, but never enough to hear what was happening. I was slowly going insane with worry, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer here.

_Give them another hour…_I told myself, sighing in the darkness. _If they don't come down before then…Go out and fight. As long as Chase doesn't see you, you'll be fine._

My eyes wandered to the flower that would grant me freedom, and I quickly shifted my gaze away. This would be the hardest hour yet for me: even now if was hard to resist pushing it. I closed my eyes and went into a meditation stance.

_Hang in there guys…_

* * *

The tornado faded into the air as the last cat fell to the ground, and Raimundo collapsed to his knees. He was covered with bloody cuts and bruises, and sweat covered his entire body. Raimundo could barely catch his breath as he knelt, trying to recover from the battle. Clay and Omi followed him and collapsed as well, weakened and exhausted from nearly three hours of straight battle.

"W-Where's M-Master Fung?" Raimundo gasped, looking around. He brushed his wet hair out of his face, trying to scout the Temple grounds for the old man. The cats surrounding them growled slightly and tried to rise, but it was clear they were as exhausted as the monks were. Omi shakily rose to his feet, and in a moment, his eyes widened.

"There!" he exclaimed, pointing a shaking finger towards the vault. Clay and Raimundo got to their feet, and immediately began to run towards the buildings.

Master Fung and Chase were still locked into combat, using moves faster then any of the monks could follow. Their hands and feet flew, and it was hard to tell who was winning.

But, it was an old, aging man against an immortal, and it was soon clear that Master Fung was at his breaking point. As they ran, they noticed the slowness of his limbs compared to Chase's attacks. The Heylin warrior barely looked affected, while Master Fung was slowly breaking down. The three monks put on an extra burst of speed just as Chase attacked Master Fung a final time.

The attack caught the Xiaolin warrior off guard as Chase's hands connected with his chest, and Master Fung flew backwards into the wall. He hit the stones violently and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily and unable to rise. Chase smirked and moved forward, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Let this be your chance to live," he snarled, advancing slowly on the collapsed old man. "Surrender the Dragon of Fire to me, and I will not kill you now."

Master Fung coughed up blood into his hand and looked up, an equal fire in his eyes. "You have no right to her," he answered calmly, still unable to get up. "She will never fall to the powers of darkness, Chase Young. You are wasting your time!"

Chase growled, the noise emitting from his chest sounding as if it should have come from some guttural beast instead of a warrior. He raised his hands into a fighting stance, and advanced dangerously to the old warrior. "Then die!" he snarled, thrusting his hands forward.

"NO!" Raimundo screamed, running as fast as he could towards the scene. His eyes were wide in fear as he tried to reach them. Master Fung's eyes closed in defeat, and Raimundo choked.

"RAIMUNDO! NO!" Omi screamed from behind him.

Rai slid between the two warriors at the last possible second, raising a wall of wind around him as Chase tried to attack Master Fung. Instead, the attack hit him, and Raimundo screamed in pain. He flew backwards into the wall, cracking the stones as he fell to his knees. His whole body was screaming in pain, and he groaned as he vomited blood across the cobblestone.

Chase Young looked down at him, mild surprise and hateful disgust in his eyes. "You…." He snarled, his voice low and extremely dangerous. Raimundo weakly looked up and tried to scoot backwards, his body clenching in fear as Chase Young advanced on him.

* * *

I couldn't take it anymore.

Waiting here was killing me, and I couldn't stay here any longer. I stumbled in the darkness as I worked my way over to the wall, and found the flower. My fingers pressed into the carved stone, and immediately, the wall began to shift. In seconds the wall parted for me.

Sighing in relief, I ducked through the narrow opening to see a long, winding stairway leading out of the darkness. I clumsily made my way up it towards a narrow beam of light. The pain in my wrist had reached its climax, and it took all my strength to keep going.

As I reached the top, I found another carved flower in a wall, and pressed it. The wall shifted again, and I was soon in the Temple Green house. I stepped away from the statue of the Buddha, and looked around the crowded room. Then, without a second thought, I rushed for the door and into the sunlight.

The ground was littered with signs of battle and I cringed. There were cats everywhere, along with broken arrows and weapons from the older monks, cracked stone walkways, and of course, a few bodies of unconscious jungle cats.

I stepped carefully over the broken ground and looked away, gasping as the pain kept flaring up. There were tears in my eyes by now, and I wanted to touch the mark badly. How was I supposed to fight like this? I started to run, looking hastily around the battle-scarred Xiaolin Temple.

Then, an awful scream reached my ears, and I froze in my tracks. There were more shouts, and the pain nearly exploded in my wrist. My mouth went dry as a stab of terror ran through me. It was Raimundo's voice.

I gasped, and began to run towards the voices, dodging the older monks who were still fighting the cats beyond the corner, and avoiding the swings of the cats as they tried to attack me themselves. I was scared out of my mind for my friends. What if I got there too late? It was my fault in the first place that this was happening! I jumped over the body of a jungle cat, my legs carrying me as fast as I could go.

Rounding the corner of one of the buildings, my eyes fell upon the Temple Vault, and I froze again. The pain in my wrist flared to violently that my vision blurred, and I suddenly felt sick.

Chase Young was standing with a murderous expression on his face, staring at the teenager across from him with the most venomous stare I had ever seen. His claw-like hand was clutched around the teen's throat, holding him a foot off the ground while his victim struggled weakly. Behind him, two other males watched helplessly, unable to stop him, while her teacher was collapsed and unconscious behind them.

Raimundo was gasping for air as Chase's hand squeezed tighter around his throat. It was clear the Heylin warrior intended to strangle him: already Rai's face was turning paler and bluer, deprived of oxygen. There was nothing Omi or Clay could do to stop him, and if something didn't happen quickly…

I tore the bandages away from my wrist, staring at the glowing mark in finality before I pressed my fingers against it. Relief flooded my body as the pain faded away, and a new sensation of fear and a slight trace of Heylin energy replaced it. I watched as Chase Young looked up, and I ran towards them faster than before.

"STOP!" I screamed, throwing myself forward at the group as Chase's fingers dug into his neck. Raimundo's eyes were half-lidded already, and his escape attempts had diminished to a feeble twitch. His hands were wrapped around Chase's limply, trying to get him to let go.

Clay and Omi caught me by the arms and restrained me, just as I was about to attack Chase. The Heylin warrior turned to look at me, smirking evilly and looking pleased.

_"Stop it!"_ I shouted frantically again, tears in my eyes as I looked up at Chase. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them and as he stared at me through reptilian slits, I swore they darkened even more. He cracked a small, evil smile, and fangs peeked through his lips. Startled, I stumbled backwards as Chase turned to face me, held behind Omi and Clay. Raimundo's body swung weightlessly through the air.

_"Let him go!"_ I begged, staring pleadingly up at him. "It's me you want, not him! Let him go! He's nothing to you!"

"Kimiko!" Raimundo gasped, his eyes flying open as he heard my voice. He looked desperately at me before kicking feebly. _"No!_ R-Run-"

"If he's nothing, then there's no reason I should spare his life," Chase interrupted, a growl in the back of his throat. He glanced down at me before over to Raimundo, who was clearly on his last few minutes of consciousness.

Chase's hand tightened painfully around Raimundo's throat and he burst to life, unable to draw even the tiniest bit of air. His eyes were wild and frantic as he tried to breath, and I cried out in horror.

I broke free from Clay and Omi, running as fast as I could at Chase. The demon dug his nails farther into his neck, and Raimundo went limp.

_"NO!"_

Everything appeared to go into slow motion as I reached for Raimundo, my eyes wide and full of tears as I looked up at his pale face. Chase Young's eyes latched onto mine, and I had a fleeting moment of terror as something beastlike flickered behind his gaze. My hand, which had been reaching for Raimundo fell short, and Chase grabbed my wrist with such force that I was afraid he snapped it.

With one fluid move, Chase's arms wrapped around my waist as he threw me into his arms, and Raimundo was flung to the ground away from us. Rai gasped and reached for his throat, unable to move as Omi and Clay rushed forward. My eyes widened as I reached out, ready to tear away from him and fight back.

But it was too late. Chase held onto me tightly as he snapped his fingers, and the cats in the distance looked up. It had only taken a few seconds for him to grab me and drop Raimundo, and now it only took another few to summon a portal behind him.

_"No!"_ I tried to shout, kicking him as he dragged me backwards. _"NO! Clay! Omi-!"_ His hand closed over my mouth and I screamed against him, struggling with every last bit of strength I possessed.

I had a last fleeting look of the monks coming towards me, trying to get to me in time before the Temple faded before me. I was dragged back into the portal and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly to stop the tears from falling. My nails dug into his arms, and I felt his chest vibrate behind me as he laughed, a sound so evil I could barely keep myself from crying.

The mark burned brightly on my wrist once more, and I shuddered, waiting for when we would finally return to Chase's lair.

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The journey came to an abrupt stop and I gasped, my body flailing forwards in Chase's arms. His hard armor jabbed painfully into my stomach, and nearly knocked the wind out of me. For a moment, the tears came dangerously close to overflowing. But then, there was no chance for them to spill outwards.

Without warning Chase pitched me onto the cold stone floor and I collapsed, too in shock and emotionally unstable to do much more. Then, before I even had a chance to realize where I was, I scrambled to my feet and took off running. I only managed to get in a few long strides before his arms hooked around my waist and I was thrown backwards against his chest.

I felt the fast beating of his heart, a sudden awkwardness in his stance, and a sudden change of presence. As if he had just realized what he did, Chase suddenly threw me away from him. I hit the floor and rolled a few feet before I laid still, even more numb and confused now. The fact that he had captured me and dragged me back to his lair, after I had been safe in the arms of my friends, hadn't caught up yet. My mind still refused to follow and I cursed mentally.

My body was weakened now and my mouth dry as I looked around the familiar contours of the stained-glass and stone walls. I could feel my hands shaking as the battle caught up to me and I gasped again, this time in pain. A wet splotch hit the floor in front of me, and I quickly wiped my eyes. I was not about to let myself be overcome by emotion again. I needed my strength now more than ever.

I composed myself into a somewhat stable mindset and shakily got onto my knees. Drawing a deep breath, I forced myself to look up and narrowed my eyes in determination. I was back in the biggest part of his lair, the entryway that I had been dragged into so many times. The afternoon sun still shone through the giant stained-glass windows and the fountains in the distance faintly bubbled. The room was silent and if I hadn't felt the horrible aura surrounding me, and the evil presence filling the room, I would have said it was almost peaceful.

My eyes wandered automatically to the fountain farthest away from me. _He_ was sitting there, facing away from me. His head was in his hands and his body was slumped over, but rigid with concentration. I couldn't see his face, but he looked like he in pain. Served him right if he was.

I glared at him for a few moments in silence. Chase didn't even look in my direction, and continued to remain unmoving. My eyes flickered to the giant wooden door behind me, and a sudden growl made me jump. The cats had begun to reappear now, and they were prowling along any place that I might have looked to for escape. I flinched and drew my arms protectively across my chest. I was on the verge of tears again, and I cursed my emotional weakness. With anyone else, being kidnapped by your worst enemy should have been an emotional and tragic occurrence, and there would be a reason to cry. Being the Xiaolin warrior I was, and having already been kidnapped several times by my worst enemies, I had no right to cry. Right?

The silence continued to smother me. The cats were sulkily watching me from their posts now, and every now and then, a savage growl would escape their throats. My shoulders tensed inward and I looked miserably over at Chase. His head was still in his hands, but through the cracks of his fingers I could see pain even more etched on his face, his mouth contorted into a snarl. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his body was so tensed that he looked like a statue. He still didn't move from that position, and I glanced at him fearfully.

Something was definitely wrong. A shiver ran down through my spine as I stared at him, and immediately I could feel an increase of Heylin power washing towards me. Chase was emitting it stronger than I had felt in a long time. I could feel my throat closing up, my mouth drying in fear from the feel of that energy alone. Silence prevailed overtop of us and I felt my anxieties building until I could take it no more.

"Why am I here?" I whispered at last. My voice was low, and choked on the tears that had not fallen yet. I could hear my words shake as they left my lips: I couldn't make any attempt to hide my fear. My hands clenched into fists as I waited for him to speak for the first time. The silence was overwhelming.

Chase remained immobile, and did not answer.

The silence continued, and suddenly, newer and darker emotions began to build deep within me. My fear was slipping away surprisingly fast, and was being replaced by anger. Chase had no right to do any of this to me! What had happened in the past should have been long forgotten: I had nothing to do with Chase anymore, I was free. Who was he, to force me back to him without any explanation?

My clenched hands tightened even more and I felt a tremor of heat run through my body. My element was flaring up within me, reacting to the Heylin energy that I felt, and building powerfully. I tried to breathe, but my chest was so full of anger and emotion that I could hardly draw a breath.

_"WHY AM I HERE?"_ I shouted angrily at him, feeling the corners of my eyes spill over. I angrily wiped the tears away and glowered at Chase with every bit of fire-power I had. My outburst was met with silence, and I let out a low cry of pained exasperation. Slamming one of my fists into the ground in frustration, I slowly got to my feet to face him.

The cats behind me could feel my anger, and I heard them hiss and growl in warning. Chase did not react at all, though the pain in his face intensified. He was holding back something, and I cringed as the Heylin energy fueling my element grew stronger.

It wasn't until the air around my hands began to shimmer with heat that I saw Chase move. I had been glaring at him for several long moments now, but due to my watery eyes, it was without really seeing him. One of his hands dropped slightly from his face, and suddenly, his golden eyes met mine.

The dark pupils of his eyes were shifting between their regular form and the slits that had concerned me before. I gasped and stepped backwards out of reflex, but never took my eyes off of him. There was a long pause between us, and his eyes shifted more and more towards the reptilian side. Then, before I even had a chance to speak again, his hands were covering his face and he looked more in pain than ever. He did not respond and I could no longer see his face.

"Answer me," I demanded in a low voice. Chase still did not answer, and I felt the energy and the rage within me build to dangerous levels. Fire burst from my palms and flickered wildly around my hands, and I angrily stepped forward towards him. _"ANSWER ME!"_

And to my surprise, he did. His dark eyes landed back on mine, filled with the horrible energy surrounding us. My fire faltered slightly and I froze in my spot. This was not Chase, and a tremor ran through my body as he finally turned to face me.

"Not…now!" he snarled. His hands fell away from his face and were now gripping the edge of the fountain ledge, as if he was afraid to let go. His leather gloves had split along the seams, as if his hands were suddenly too large for them. My breath caught in my throat: What was going on?

Chase was barely audible over the hisses of the cats behind me and the low tone of his voice. I stopped mid-step, my eyes wide. "Go…to your…room. We'll talk…_later_."

"NO!" I shouted back at him, clenching my hands back into fists. "Answer me now! You have no right to do this! I want answers, and I'm not going anywhere until I get them! What the hell is wrong with you Chase? Why do you keep dragging me back here? You kidnapped me twice, and almost killed my friends to get me back when you let me go in the first place! And now you're telling me to just walk away from you? No! This is my _life _you're messing with Chase, and you owe me an-"

There was a flicker of movement across from me, and I barely had time to gasp before Chase was suddenly in front of me. I didn't even see him move from the fountain, and I broke off abruptly, trying to step away from him. He had lost control to whatever demon he was becoming, and I only had a second to register this before he was upon me. My heart stopped entirely as I saw for a split second the evil in his eyes.

His hand shot out towards me before I could react, clutching around my throat in one powerful move. I gasped as his fingers tightened, barely able to breathe now. My body, temporarily stunned by the sudden attack, shifted weightlessly through the air as Chase quickly moved his position again. There was a rush of air past my body, and a few seconds later my head collided with the stained glass windows with a sickening crack.

The air grew still around us both as I tried to realize what had happened. Everything was spinning in front of me, and I could feel panic setting in my body. Frantically, I wrapped my tiny hands around his wrists, trying to pull them away from my neck. The lights were spinning above me, and I suddenly realized how desperate Raimundo must have been at his final moments.

The glass behind me must have shattered, for moments later shards of glass came raining down on top of us. My labored, strained breathing and the light tinkling of glass were the only sounds in the room. Chase hardly seemed to notice the glass now covering the floor and both our bodies. He merely stared straight into my eyes, his grip growing tighter and tighter. There was a definite growl building in his throat, and I cowered back away from him as far as I could go.

His eyes were no longer their usual golden color, but a dark shade of amber, too dark to reflect any light within them.

Lights were spinning in my head now, and I tried to kick Chase, but knew it would do no good.

My body was pressed about a foot off the ground, and I had no way to easily move. I was becoming desperate for breath, and knew I could only last perhaps a minute or two more without passing out. Chase growled as he noticed my efforts to get away and leaned in towards me, nothing but malicious evil in his eyes. I weakly gasped and tried to wrench his hands off me once more. It was useless.

I had fought Chase before, but this was not him now. He was too powerful, too strong, and definitely too non-human to even resemble the Chase I knew. I didn't understand what he was, and as my train of thought grew weaker and weaker, I forgot about my immediate worries of what was happening to him. Now, I was only worried about my diminishing life.

The silence between us was overwhelming again. His hand was so tight around my neck, and I was so desperate to be let go. Tears were swelling in my eyes as I tried to breathe, a feat made impossible by his inhumanly strong hand. Chase was too close to me, his face just inches away from mine and growling through his sharpened teeth. I could feel his warm breath on my neck, and I pitifully tried to kick him again. Even if I made contact, his armor would block any attack I tried. My eyes fell to half-lidded, but I continued to try and force his hands off of me.

And then, I felt a sudden burning sensation spreading along my body. My eyes flew back open, and I gasped in surprise: Chase was glowing, and so was I.

His arms were surrounded by an unknown black aura, and I could feel powerful Heylin energy radiating towards me. The aura was spreading to his hands and intensifying there before moving onto my own body. My eyes widened, and I momentarily forgot my struggle to breathe. The blackness began to swirl around my neck and moved down towards my torso. Everywhere it went, I could feel a faint prickling of heat and warmth, until even my feet were tingling with the aura. It settled the most on the mark on my wrist, where the heat intensified back to a strong burning sensation, like my arm was back on fire.

Chase didn't even seem to notice the aura creeping over both our bodies. Instead, he remained fixed and unmoving, his hand still in an iron grip around my throat. I felt lightheaded, and combined with the fiery pain of the mark, I couldn't take it anymore: I was going to pass out from the pain and lack of air.

_"Chase,"_ I whimpered at last, barely able to speak. "Chase, _please!_" His suddenly moved to meet mine, which were only half open again. It was getting harder to see and think, and I lifelessly hung from his hand, unable to fight back any longer. He didn't react in any way.

The aura intensified for a moment around us as I desperately looked into his dark eyes. I don't know how long we stayed that way, neither of us moving even to blink. My gaze did not falter from his, and I didn't realize the black aura was fading until it was almost gone from around us. My head fell forward, breaking our connection as the aura completely disappeared.

I felt a slight tremor run through Chase's body, and then I heard a sharp intake of breath from above. Wearily, I struggled to lift my head back up to see Chase staring at me in horror. All the darkness was gone from his eyes, his body showed no signs of fangs or other mutilations, and the powerful Heylin energy was gone. Chase was staring at me in shock and disbelief, as if he had just realized what he had done to me. But it was too late. My eyes closed just as I felt his hand slip away from my neck.

I crashed into the glass-covered floor with a loud gasp, jolting back into consciousness with the hard impact. I choked and breathed heavily, clutching at my throat as I tried to breathe in. Tears were streaming down my face as I managed to roll myself onto my back, holding a heavy sob in my throat, but unable to release it. I was stunned, and so was Chase. After an empty silence filled with my labored breathing, I heard the crunch of glass breaking as he stepped backwards and away from me.

Chase had almost killed me.

I was scared out of my mind. Without waiting another second, I scrambled to my feet and took off running, fleeing the room as fast as I could. My steps were clumsy and unbalanced and I could feel darkness pressing in on me again. But, it was better than staying there any longer. Chase made no attempt to stop me as I ran towards the hallway, and to my room.

Barely remembering where to go, I fled through the stone corridors until I found the right door and pushed it open. I stepped inside and slammed it shut, my heart racing. I barely had enough time to throw myself onto the bed before my legs gave out and I collapsed in a sobbing, bloody, messy heap.

It only took another second for the lights to leave my eyes and throw me into darkness.

* * *

Chase Young stared at the cracked and shattered stained glass window in front of him, unable to move. At the very bottom of the window there was a small web of circular cracks, where her head had hit the glass first. The impact had sent giant cracks up through the rest of the window, resulting in the broken shards covering him and the floor where she had fallen.

He stared numbly at the shattered window, the bloody pieces of glass on the floor, and then at his hands. They were shaking. His eyes narrowed, and a sudden wave of rage and incredulity passed through him. With a wild snarl, Chase drew back his hand and slammed a fist into the wall besides the window. The impact caused even the hard stone to shatter immediately, as a distinct hole appeared in the rock. Then, Chase turned on his heels and stalked to the staircase. He paused in front of it instead of ascending the steps, then heavily sat down. Within moments, his head was in his hands.

"Was your plan…successful?"

Chase didn't move as he heard a high, nasal voice behind him. Instead he lifted his head up grimly, and stared at the broken window. "Yes. The Dragon of Fire is back within my grasp."

"Excellent! Now you can continue on…Though I can't understand why you would let her go like that…Too much effort to bring her back. You should have just killed those other Xiaolin pests…it would have taken half the time, and-"

"I couldn't, Wuya." Chase glared at the floating purple ghost as she descended the stairs, staring at him in obvious expectation. Wuya fluttered down besides him and settled near his head. Chase glowered at her, but she paid no attention to his obvious annoyance.

"Well, why not? _I_ would have done it, if you had only asked-"

"I almost killed her!" he snarled, interrupting Wuya as she stared at him. Chase's chest was heaving as he looked down at his hands. "It's getting harder to control every day. Every time I feel emotion, every time I need to use my Heylin powers, every time I _think about her_, it gets worse! I grow darker with each passing second. And eventually…it will consume me."

Wuya was silent as Chase held his head in his hands. His mouth was still drawn into a snarl, and he growled with every breath he took. The ghost floated onto the step next to him, looking irritated.

"Then you'll have to learn to control it, until she-"

"Do you think I haven't tried?" he interrupted angrily. "Wuya, I have spent fifteen hundred years trying to prepare for this. Fifteen hundred years preparing for my return, when she was old enough to know of her power. And now that I have her in my grasp, I try to kill her. _It does not want her to succeed_."

Chase let out a cold, bitter laugh as he looked across to the witch. "You don't even know what I did, do you? When the Xiaolin Dragons attacked…I almost destroyed them. I wanted them dead, and I was prepared to kill all of them…until she showed up. Just her presence calmed me, when I almost ripped the other's throats out."

He sighed heavily and brought his head up. His eyes had fully returned to their usual color, and his body was momentarily at peace. "Though the Dragon of Fire calmed me, the instincts were still there. And so I took out all of my power onto her. _I marked her as my own_. Kimiko belongs to me….I made claim over her future powers, her essence, and her body. But when I gave her my mark, I felt powers too intense for me to handle. I was going to kill her on the spot….so I had to let her go with the other Dragons. If I had tried to keep her from leaving, it would have meant death. I need her life."

"But what if she cannot help you? What if you do loose all of your control, and the girl is still under your command?"

Chase looked away, his face expressionless. "Then she will be used most cruelly, and then…killed. If she cannot complete what I have brought her here for, then we all are in danger. I will destroy everything in this world, Heylin and Xiaolin alike. That is why she cannot fail…I need fire to fight fire, and she is the only Dragon who possess the skill."

"But she's only a child! You can't possibly expect her to handle this! If you can so easily defeat her now, how is she to help later?"

"Kimiko is old enough for this responsibility. I was only a year or two older than her when I took this evil upon myself, so long ago. But, in any case, I will continue to train her. Kimiko is a lot stronger than you expect, and if I can unlock her hidden elemental powers, she will succeed."

His voice was low and strained, his body tensed. Chase closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Wuya floated upwards.

"I will return with Jack tomorrow…Perhaps the Xiaolin girl can use him for target practice. But in the meantime, try not to kill her. She won't be useful to either one of us if her powers are lost."

"If she succeeds, you intend to use Kimiko for world domination again? Clever, Wuya. We would be unstoppable then, if you transferred her powers to me. We'll have to see about that. But for now, we must focus on the evil at hand."

The witch nodded and floated away, out of sight. Chase was left alone sitting on the stone steps. He remained there for a moment, then angrily began to force himself up. Narrowing his eyes, Chase got to his feet and walked towards the broken window. He snapped his fingers, and several of his large cats watching from a distance transformed into listless humans.

"Clean up the mess," he ordered bitterly, scowling as the scent of her blood reached his nose. The servants bowed obediently, and Chase stormed away towards the stone corridor.

She was already injured by his hand, and Chase knew he would have to be a lot more careful in the future. He scowled to himself as he walked down the hallway, pausing only once when he reached a familiar wooden door. Two cats were positioned at the entrance, and they dipped their heads as he entered.

The Xiaolin Dragon of fire was sprawled upon her bed in a heap, dead to the world. Chase made no effort to conceal his presence as he approached her, as she would not be waking up any time soon. Her arms and legs were cut from the shards of glass, and there was a large bruise beginning to form around her neck. As he noticed her injuries, his throat tightened in reflex. Chase summoned his Heylin powers, and a familiar glow encased his fingers. He reached for the girl, only intending to heal her body and then leave. His fingertips brushed her broken skin, and a snarl erupted from his throat.

Chase threw himself backwards and away from her as the powers inside of him forced him forwards. His hands were shaking with the intensity of the battle within, and his eyes were changing rapidly into slits. He let out a savage growl as his fingers contorted into claws, the power around them changing swiftly into the black aura from before. It took all of his strength to hold back…and not finish the job he has started earlier.

The forces disappeared as quickly as they had come, and Chase let out a low breath of relief. He glanced across to the girl, lying innocently when she could have been dead by now. Shaking his head, Chase summoned his healing once again, and set to work.

Things were far worse than he could have imagined.

* * *

**((Review? ;D ))**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The warm light of dawn was streaming onto my face when I opened my eyes at last. My head was drowsy, my mind numb with the weight of exhaustion. With a heavy sigh, I rolled over onto my side and pulled the thick blankets around me like a cocoon. I let the silence of early morning engulf me, as I was still in the hazy clutches of sleep. Then, I slowly opened my eyes.

The beautiful blue and green stained glass window of my room shone brightly back at me. I shuddered, and my heart began to pound. A feeling of dread filled the bottom of my stomach as I tucked my body into a ball. So, none of this had been a dream. Instead of freaking out, I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as I could, and tried not to let the images of last night overpower me.

Chase…He had tried to kill me.

At this thought, I swept one of my hands along my arm and up to my neck, expecting to feel multiple bruises and cuts. Instead, there was nothing; just smooth, unbroken skin. With a jolt, I sat straight up in the bed, my eyes wide as I examined my body. My skin showed no signs of a battle, no indication that I had been slammed into a window and almost strangled to death. I felt my heart begin to pound faster as I realized Chase had healed me.

A sudden shadow out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I jerked my head up. Then, I nearly had a heart attack as I realized Chase was standing there, watching me. With a soft gasp, I tried to scramble out of the bed and put as much distance between us as possible. Yet as he stepped into the gentle light streaming through the window, I hesitated.

He wasn't wearing his armor, just a set of plain black robes. For some reason, this comforted me. It made me feel as if he weren't going to attack me again. I had never known Chase to go anywhere without his armor on. Showing me his vulnerability was…comforting?

My heart must have been pounding hard enough for him to hear, and slowly, Chase began to walk towards me. "Good morning," he said softly. I felt as if he was trying not to frighten me, treating me as if I was a small child. I didn't respond, and merely pressed my back into the headboard and curled my legs into my chest.

As he continued forwards, I put out a hand to stop him, but he ignored me. Chase grabbed a plain wooden chair by my dresser and dragged it over to the side of my bed, then sat down. He was only inches away from me, and I winced.

"How long were you standing there?" I asked cautiously. Chase looked directly at me, showing no signs of the monster he had become last night.

"All night," he replied in the same soft voice. My shoulders stiffened and I tried to scoot to the opposite side of the bed, but he put his hand on my arm. Although his grip was strong, he was still surprisingly gentle with me, and his palm was warm. My body tensed even more, and Chase continued on. "You were…hurt. I see you've noticed that I healed you. I stayed to make sure you would be alright."

My body relaxed slightly, but my wary features did not change. I was so confused. He had mercilessly dragged me from the Temple and the safety of my friends twice, making no attempts to be gentle with me. He had almost killed both Master Fung and Raimundo…and he had almost strangled me. So why was he suddenly so nice now? It was not like Chase to feel regret, or any emotion for that matter. And yet, here he was, watching over me while I slept and caring for the wounds he had inflicted.

I couldn't take it any longer. No longer timid in his presence, I raised my head firmly and looked directly into his golden eyes. My voice was suddenly expressionless, my face serious and cold.

"Why am I here?"

Although I could tell he had expected me to ask this, Chase looked away to the stained glass window. I couldn't read his expression as he watched the colored light sway on the floor, and I tightened my grip around my legs. At last, he turned back to me, and slowly glided his hand down my arm to my wrist.

"When I first returned," he started slowly, seeming as if he was struggling for words, "I watched you for some time. As the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire, I knew you had much potential…and I needed your power. It was a shame, of course, that you weren't of a Heylin nature, but I knew I could work around it. Your power was too important to give up."

"So you kidnapped me and forced me to help you take over the world," I interrupted, my voice slightly impatient. "Chase, I know that. I'm asking why I'm here n-"

I stopped abruptly as his fingers pried my arm away from my legs, and he slowly ran them down the underside of my arm to where the symbol on my wrist was glowing brightly. With a frown, I realized that it no longer burned or hurt me in any way. Chase pressed his thumb over the mark, and I jumped as a rush of warmth flowed into my body. My eyes widened in surprise and I raised them back to his, even more confused now.

"I took you, not because I wanted to take over the world, but because I needed your power. I needed your essence within me. I needed to train you, and help you, for when the moment finally came that _I_ would need _your_ help." Chase slowly rose to his feet and released my arm, then paced over to the window. He stared out of it for a long moment, holding his arms behind his back. He seemed lost in thought, while I impatiently waited behind.

"Chase, I don't understand-"

"Kimiko, there are evils in this world greater than you have ever imagined. Evils that can kill thousands of people without remorse, that can destroy an entire world in mere seconds. You are young, and have seen nothing, while I have lived in evil for my entire life." Chase whirled on his feet so that he was suddenly facing me, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of desperation in his eyes. Then, it disappeared, and he was looking at me intently. This time, I did not flinch as he bore straight into my eyes, almost as if he were searching inside of me for something.

"Chase," I tried again, trying not to let the confusion in my voice show. "I-"

"We're both made of fire, did you know that, Kimiko?" he interrupted me again. Chase was suddenly by my bedside, and he slowly grasped both my arms to pull me from the bed. I didn't resist as my feet touched the cool stone floor, my eyes fixated on his face. He wrapped one of his arms around me and pulled my body closer to his, while he used his other hand to lay one of my palms against his bare chest. My heart was fluttering madly now, as I struggled to comprehend what he was doing.

Instead of jerking out of his grasp, I quieted my frantic thoughts and let him do what he wanted. Chase moved my palm until it was lying over his heart. "Can you feel it?" he asked me, his voice reverting to the firm, warrior-like tone that I was used to. With a jolt of surprise, I felt intense heat radiating from his skin, as if a fire was burning right beneath my hand. It was the same warmth I often felt from my body when I used my element. Slowly, I nodded and looked up into his face.

"Although I cannot summon it like you can, the same fire that burns within you lives within me. It is what keeps me in this state, I suppose. I haven't changed in over a thousand years."

I had never been this close to him willingly before. Chase was always pinning me, or pulling me away when he was this close to my body. Now, I took the chance to sweep my gaze over his features. If I didn't know who he was, I would have thought that he was only a few years older than I. Chase kept my hand over his bare skin, and didn't move. I let my hand grow hot against his chest, unwilling to try to pull away just yet.

"You don't have a heartbeat."

Chase smirked and shook his head lightly. "After 1500 years of immortality, you find that a heart is no longer necessary."

At this comment, I took a sharp intake of breath and stepped back, finally breaking our connection. Chase let me go and turned back to the window, his face growing unexpectedly cold.

"I don't understand what any of this means," I said quietly. Chase was silent for the moment until he turned to face me.

"There's evil surrounding me," he said, placing his hands back behind his back. "I took you three years ago to prepare you to face it. And now, it is time."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as he advanced on me again, though he stopped a few feet away. "What is it?" I asked, my voice now barely a whisper. His features instantly hardened, and he looked away.

"I cannot tell you. To do so would mean my own demise."

"What?" I snapped back. "You've kidnapped me three times now, and you won't even tell me what you need me for? Chase, this is unfair! I don't care what you need, I want to go home. I can't take this." Entirely frustrated and angry now, I started to storm past him towards the door. Yet before I was even halfway there, Chase grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me back to him.

His eyes were suddenly darker, and I let out a soft gasp as I realized he was starting to change again. His grip on my arm was uncomfortably tight, and I squirmed in his grasp. Chase flipped my arm over so that his mark was in plain sight, and I winced.

"Do you see this?" he asked me, rubbing his thumb over the dragon mark. "This means I have claimed you for my own. I can take your powers and your essence as I see fit, but I can also give you more. There's so much I could show you…And you are mine. If you doubt it, I can let you feel unfathomable pain." I gasped again as the mark began to burn, and Chase's eyes began to change into slits. He towered over me as pain filled my arm, and I tried to jerk away. He held onto me tightly, and I could go nowhere.

"Chase, what do you want with me?"

The pain instantly stopped, and I was left wondering again if I had imagined Chase's transformation. His lips curved into a smirk as he gently released my wrist and stepped backwards. "Let's make a deal, Kimiko," he said slyly. I frowned; this was definitely the Chase Young I knew.

"There's nothing I want from you besides my freedom."

"Then I'll give it to you in time. Agree to stay here with me until your task is completed, and I will let you go. But as long as you stay, you will be under my control. You will do what I want, let me train you, wear the clothes I request you to. You will have no contact with the Xiaolin Temple, and you will not try to escape. If you violate any of my conditions, I will simply keep you here forever."

I felt my body suddenly go cold and I stared at him in incredulity. "You expect me to stay with you willingly?"

"Yes. I will allow you to leave freely only after you help me." Chase began to circle me as I stared at him, confusion written clearly across my face.

"And if I refuse your offer?" I asked suspiciously. The last time I had made a deal with him, things had ended badly…as in plunging the world into darkness and attacking my friends. I didn't want to go there again.

Chase merely shrugged and looked away. "Then I force you to do what I want anyways, and never let you go. Remember, I have claim over you now through that mark. No one else will challenge it."

I stared at him in disgust, my body filling with dread. From what I knew of Chase, I knew there was no option other than to accept his offer. Otherwise, I knew he had enough ways to keep me imprisoned here forever…and I had no doubt that he would stick to his word. With a scowl, I looked at him straight in the eye.

"If I agree to your deal, I want my own conditions met," I said firmly. He chuckled and turned back to me, one eyebrow raised.

"And those would be?"

"You agree not to use me to take over the world while I'm here. You don't force me to fight anyone I don't want to, and you won't make me fight my friends. Plus, the Xiaolin Temple will be off limits while I'm here. No attacking them, no using any of my friends for leverage- nothing. And, you'll let me contact them just once before I have to stay here…Just so they know not to come after me."

He paused for a moment, as if he were considering my side of the deal. "Agreed," he finally muttered reluctantly. I could tell he was already searching for loopholes in my terms, but I didn't care. I had already found several in his. "So, will you stay with me?"

With a final sigh, I raised my eyes back to his and nodded. I knew this was a bad idea, but what other choice did I have? There were worse things in the world then spending another week alone with Chase Young. I knew my friends would resent me for it, but at least I had secured their safety this time. Plus, I was older now, and more experienced. I was not the naïve little girl Chase had tricked last time. I knew how to handle him now, even if I couldn't defeat him. "Yes," I said softly. "I'll…stay."

His lips curved back into a smirk and he nodded sharply. "Then we'll begin your training again right away." Chase turned his back on me and walked to the door, expecting me to follow. I stayed right where I was, my lips set in a straight line.

"No."

Chase slowly turned back around, and I could see a hint of anger in his eyes at my defiance. "Dragon of Fire-"

"You said you'd let me contact my friends," I interrupted him stubbornly, my feet firmly planted on the floor. His eyes narrowed slightly, and I was pleased to see a flicker of annoyance run through them. I was still intending to make this experience as much as a living hell as I could for him.

"_Fine,"_ he hissed back. Chase stalked out of my bedroom door, leaving me wondering what exactly was wrong with him. But, I didn't have much time for thinking now. Reluctantly, I let my shoulders drop, and I followed him into the cold stone corridors.

* * *

A few minutes later, I arrived in the empty garden of the Xiaolin Temple, clutching onto Chase's arm as he transported us from his lair in the mountains. My heart instantly panged with grief as I saw that many of the statues were broken and the pathways were littered with broken weapons, remnants of the battle I had caused. The entire grounds were deserted, and I bit my lip in uncertainty. Chase let go of me and nudged me forward. "Remember, you are only to tell them that you are staying with me. Nothing of our deal is to be revealed. I will be watching you." With a scowl, I nodded sharply.

"I understand, Chase. I'll be right back."

I stormed away from him towards the main building, where I planned to stop by my room. Chase had already made me change into his own black robes, but I wanted some of my own clothes with me. I didn't know how long I was going to be with him, and it didn't hurt to be prepared. My room looked exactly like how I had left it a few nights before, with the shattered vase still spread across the floor. A pang of homesickness hit me, and I winced. Grabbing a bag from my closet, I began to throw as many clothes and toiletries as I could in, neglecting to take any of my cell phones or video games. Chase would destroy them if he found them. I didn't want to take the chance.

Once I was done, I slung the bag over my shoulder and began to look around the Temple. It was eerily quiet and empty, and I immediately felt unnerved. _Where is everyone?_ With a moment of realization, I quickly turned my wanderings towards the infirmary, and practically ran there. If anyone was hurt from the battle, I knew they would have to be there.

As I reached its doors, I heard no sounds from within, and I hesitantly waited just outside. Then, I thought better of it and quietly slipped through. The lights were dimmed, and as my eyes adjusted to its blank walls, I saw three figures in the corner. Two were slumped over in chairs, while the third was sprawled in a medical cot. I let out a sigh of relief, and tried to compose my features. I didn't have much time left.

The door closed behind me with a click, and the boy in the bed instantly snapped his attentions towards me, his eyes wary. But as he saw it was me standing there, his features instantly softened, and his lips parted in shock. "K-Kimiko?" he whispered, simply staring at me.

I rushed to his side and wrapped my arms around him, nearly on the verge of tears. "Oh god, Raimundo," I whispered, burying my face into his chest. He winced at my tight embrace, and I hurriedly backed up to see his condition for the very first time.

Raimundo would have been bare-chested, despite the bandages wrapped around his entire torso, and looped over one shoulder. I could see dried blood staining his sides, and my hand flew to my mouth. A dark purple, mottled bruise had formed across his neck, and I felt my lips start to tremble. "Oh, god Raimundo…He didn't do this to you, did he? Rai, I'm so sorry!"

He shook his head like it was nothing and reached out for my hands, drawing me closer. "Master Fung is a lot worse off than me…the other monks are taking care of him in his room. But it's not important, Kim," he said firmly. My gaze wandered over to Omi and Clay, who were sleeping peacefully in the chairs by his side. I longed to wake them up, but I didn't have much time. "Kim, how did you escape? We were going to come after you, but with Master Fung and all-"

I quickly shushed him, my eyes downcast. "Raimundo…I didn't escape," I said slowly. His hands tightened around mine, and I could see worry crease his features.

"Then how-"

"I…had to make a deal with him," I said softly. "Rai, he promised to let me go if I did something for him. So, I have to stay with him for a while, and-"

"No!" he exclaimed desperately, searching my eyes for any indication that I was lying. "God no, Kim! Don't you remember what happened last time? Kim, I'm not letting you go back to him! He can't do this!"

"I have to!" I whispered back, my voice choked. "Raimundo, it's the only way. I didn't swear anything to him, I just made a bargain! I'll be back soon enough, but for now I have to stay with him."

"No," he said firmly, his eyes narrowed. "No, Kimiko-"

"Listen," I interrupted, careful to keep my voice low. "He let me come here so that I could talk to you one last time, and let you know that I'm okay. I won't be able to talk to you after this…He won't let me. But you can't come after me! I need you to stay here and protect the Temple. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

"Kimiko," he continued to plead, his eyes desperate for me to stay. "Kimiko, we can fight him off. Please, let us help you. I'm not going to let you go off with him. He's pure evil, Kim! Do you have any idea what he could make you do?"

As I opened my mouth to respond, a sudden sharp pain ran through my wrist, and I gasped loudly. I doubled over as I clutched the burning mark with my hand, and Raimundo looked startled next to me. "Kim-"

"It's time to go."

I looked up wearily as I saw Chase step out of the shadows of the infirmary, a frown on his face. He leaned against the wall and stared at me, his eyes dark. Unwillingly, I pried myself away from Raimundo and looked down regretfully at him.

"I have to go, Rai," I whispered. I adjusted the bag on my shoulder and turned my back to him, then began to slowly walk towards Chase.

"KIMIKO! NO!" he shouted behind me, his voice breaking. I heard the scraping of chairs as Clay and Omi jolted awake at the sound of his voice.

"Kim! What in tarnation-"

"Kimiko! What are you doing?"

I kept my eyes focused on Chase as I tried to block their anguished calls from my mind. His eyes met mine, and his lips curved back into a smirk as he watched me walk away from good, and into the clutches of evil. There were running footsteps behind me, and I knew Clay and Omi were trying to catch up to me.

"KIMIKO! PLEASE!"

Chase wrapped his arm around my waist and I looked back at them one last time, unable to bear the pain on their faces. "Let's go," I whispered.

Suddenly, there was a jerk on my body, and I was soon fading into oblivion, watching the desperate expressions on my friend's faces as their reaching hands fell short. I closed my eyes and huddled against Chase's chest, unable to rid their betrayed looks from my mind.

What had I done?

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"_Again."_

For what had to have been the hundredth time this morning, my body crashed painfully into the stone floor of the training room, and I stifled back a cry. Every one of my limbs shrieked in pain, and I struggled to get back to my feet. However, before I could even prop myself up on my hands, a kick came flying out of nowhere into my side. I scrambled out of the way as Chase's hand followed down to where I had just been crouching, his knuckles breaking the stone. My eyes desperately met his to plead for a break, but he only gazed coldly back at me.

Part of me wanted to collapse on the floor and refuse to move again, but I knew it would be worse if I didn't follow his command. Ignoring my shaking limbs, I leapt up from the floor and ran at him, my lips curled into a snarl. Fire burst to life in my palms, swirling around my hands as I attempted the technique he had taught me so long ago.

He stood a few feet away in a fighting stance, though he seemed utterly bored. Determined to finally get my attack through his time, I put all my remaining energy into my element, and sprang at him from the front. His eyes flashed towards mine at just the last second, and I knew I was going to fail.

Just as the swirling ball of flames around my hand touched his chest, Chase kicked his feet into mine and my fire disappeared. I was immediately off-balanced and started stumbling to the floor, but not before he grasped the front of my robes. I only had a second to be terrified before he pushed me away from him with such force that I skidded and rolled along the floor, until I collided painfully with a pillar.

This time, I couldn't get up. Stars danced around my head as I felt the new bruises (and possible broken bones) throughout my body. My eyes watered in pain and I curled feebly into a ball. When we had first started training a few hours ago, it had never occurred to me that Chase might become darker when we were forced to fight. More than once, I had seen his eyes shift to slits as he struggled to keep a hold on himself, but I never thought about it…At least, not until my body hit the floor with that unnatural force.

Chase had asked me merely to show him the technique I learned from him three years ago. I hadn't used it at all since then, so my flames were rusty and unwilling to be shaped when we started training. Chase was obviously displeased, I learned, when he was able to easily counter it every time.

I heard footsteps coming towards me, but I didn't open my eyes until a dark shadow passed over my face. Chase stared down at me, his face emotionless and his arms crossed. I could see burn marks all over his armor, but he wasn't hurt at all. Me, on the other hand…well, he had only granted me a simple black robe to wear, offering no protection to my body. I glared at him with all the force I could muster until he rolled his eyes at me, and crouched down to my level.

"That will be all for today, Dragon of Fire," he said coolly, his voice unshaken. He reached out to brush my sweaty hair away from my forehead, but I swatted away his hand. Chase looked irritated as his fingers landed on my shoulder instead, and my skin began to glow. Immediately, I felt his healing powers surging through my veins, until almost all of the pain was gone.

He left me with just a mottled bruise on my forearm before he stood back up, and I weakly followed. I was exhausted after those hours of practice without stopping, and wanted nothing better than to curl up in my bed. He always worked me so much harder than I was used to back at the Temple, and in some ways, it felt _good._ Even if Chase had managed to counter me every time, I knew I was improving. And besides…if it weren't for his armor, he would have been scorched by now.

As soon as we reached his main cavern, I started to turn off towards the stone corridor that led to my room. However, it seemed Chase had other ideas. He swooped a hand behind my back before I even knew he was besides me, and pushed me forwards in the opposite direction. I jumped at the touch of his cool fingertips on my back, still radiating heat from the extensive use of my element. Yet instead of being rough like he had been in my training, he gently but firmly steered me to another door. I jerked away from his hand as soon as it was clear that I was going to follow him, but I couldn't keep my eyes from wandering up to his untouched face.

He was already staring at me, a smug expression on his face as he realized I was looking at him. My cheeks immediately colored and I looked away, though he didn't. "So, _Master Young_," I said sarcastically, trying to hide my flushed cheeks with words. "Now that you're done tormenting me, you're not even going to say anything? Where are we going?"

His lips curved into his usual smirk as our footsteps echoed down the empty hall. "You did well today, Kimiko…I'm pleased how far you've progressed without me, although many of your techniques need to be altered."

I glared at him while he smiled pleasantly back. "You mean, change them so they use Heylin energy, not my Xiaolin powers?" There was no way in hell I was ever going to do that, no matter what I had promised Chase.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "If that is the way you see it, Dragon of Fire."

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him, my gaze wandering to our surroundings. Now that I was paying attention, I realized that I had never been in this part of his lair before. Sure, it was mostly just plain stone corridors and glass windows, but there were also many rooms and halls that had always been locked…I suspected we were in one of those areas now.

Natural light began to fill the dark hallway, and I looked ahead to see a glowing glass door in front of us. Chase swung it open with ease, and motioned for me to enter first. Cautiously, I stepped through, only to gasp and freeze in place.

We were in what appeared to be a greenhouse, though the walls were all made of stained glass. Above, I could see the clear blue sky, something that was usually forbidden to me in the depths of Chase's lair. Surrounding us were plants and flowers of every variety I could imagine, filling the air with their fragrant scent. Fountains bubbled their way through in woven paths, just like the ones in the main chamber. And every petal, every leaf…every drop of water seemed as if it were frozen in perfection, like they hadn't changed in fifteen hundred years.

I felt a shiver run down my spine at that thought, so I quickly turned to face Chase. He was simply watching me, an inscrutable expression on his face. His eyes especially bothered me. They were coated in pain, but something brighter flitted just below the surface.

Neither of us moved for a moment, until I finally broke the silence. "Why are you showing me this?" I asked, all traces of my usual defiance and anger gone from my voice. Chase seemed to break from his trance and stepped towards me, his hands behind his back.

"You could call this place my sanctuary, I suppose," he said gently, though his tone sounded bored again. "I come here to calm myself and to meditate…the beauty helps me keep control over my actions." I frowned at his words, and my mind started turning again. Chase was constantly changing; every time I thought I had him figured out, he brought something new to the table.

Who knew fifteen-hundred-year-old evil warriors liked to garden?

"Come," he said abruptly, scattering my thoughts. "I haven't brought you here simply to enjoy. You meditate at your temple, correct? You will do the same here in my presence, though perhaps I will need to train in this area as well." I scowled at him until he offered his hand to take. Then, I hesitantly slipped my fingers into his cold, leather-clad palm, and he began to tug me forward through the garden.

We stopped just beyond a particularly leafy row of plants, and Chase let my hand go. In front of us was a delicate cherry tree, its limbs heavy with tiny pink blossoms. I felt something catch in my throat; after all, this was _my_ tree. Had he known I meditated beneath one at the Xiaolin Temple? It was impossible. Chase showed no flicker of emotion as he gently sat beneath it and folded his legs, then impatiently gestured me forward.

I quickly hid any surprise and confusion on my face and came forward, sitting down a few feet away from Chase. His eyes were already closed and his face was narrowed in concentration. Unsure of what to do, I gently closed my eyes and tried to let my mind go blank, just how Master Fung had taught me. He believed that without a sharp, disciplined mind, all the training we did with our bodies was useless. Meditating with the other monks had become a familiar practice, though it felt out of place with Chase sitting calmly to my right. I had _never_ seen him so still…and it bothered me.

With pain still throbbing in my limbs, the exhaustion of the day wearing down on me, and the countless questions swirling in my head, I couldn't stay focused for more than a few minutes at a time. While my head started to nod forward, the pain in my neck forced me to wake up again, and I kept thinking about what Chase had said to me early this morning.

Why would he ever need my help? He expected me to defeat some evil greater than he was, but if I couldn't even hold my own against him, there was no way that was going to happen. I knew he wanted to train me for such a purpose…but how? Chase had done nothing but confuse me with his actions so far. I was starting to think he had a multiple personality disorder. Three years ago, he had been calculating and cold, thinking of nothing but his own success. Now, he was…_compassionate_ to me, though it was still clear that he had his own personal agenda behind everything he did. And as for the times he'd transformed into his darker side…I knew it wasn't him. I had a feeling I was just starting to see the real Chase Young, the one that healed me and gently offered me his hand.

A wave of fatigue swept over me suddenly at this thought, and I struggled against it. I had been fine just a minute ago, but now exhaustion was trying to pull me into darkness. I tried to open my eyes to resist the need for sleep pulling me down, but my heavy training in the morning had already settled my fate. The room was spinning as I tried to speak out, but instead my eyes closed in defeat. I felt my shoulders giving in and my body collapsing forward before my mind could even process what was happening.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, the entire world was black. Gone were the brightly colored flowers and mellow streams; instead, I was sitting alone in a great expanse of black nothingness, barely able to see even my hand in front of my face. Rational thought told me that this was just a dream, but it seemed too real. I looked down at my arm to see the same bruise from this morning, and the simple black robe covering my skin. A shiver ran down my spine, and it too felt too real to be part of a dream.

Not sure how to deal with my thoughts, I slowly got to my feet and stood up, ready to tackle my dreamland. Wind began to pick up along my back, pressing me forward and rushing past me. With nowhere to go, I uncertainly began to follow it, taking cautious steps as if the nothingness would give way underneath of me. It didn't, though, and I kept walking until a red light began to glow in the distance. My eyes narrowed, and I picked up my pace. The wind grew stronger, hissing in my ears and moaning with delight as I moved forth…at least, until I saw him.

Chase was here, too.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw him standing in the red light, clutching something small in his hands. Though his body looked the same, I knew something was different about him. He was wearing robes that looked awfully similar to the ones I wore at the Xiaolin Temple, and his face wasn't as hard. Chase glanced down nervously at the object in his hands, and for the first time in my life, I saw slight fear in his eyes.

"_Take it,"_ a voice hissed above us, as fleeting as the wind that had guided me here. Chase raised his face to the light, and I knew he had heard the voice too. _"What are you waiting for? Your powers will know no bound…"_

My senses prickled uncomfortably with the evilness surrounding us, and I opened my mouth to call out to him. But before the words had even formed on my tongue, I felt as if something large had slammed into me, nearly knocking me to the ground. Pain like stabbing needles exploded in my throat and descended downwards until it felt like my skin was being flayed from my body. I choked and wrapped my hands around my throat, trying desperately to breathe. My element seemed to break loose and consume me, though I saw no flames. I only knew this awful, burning, stabbing pain. My legs gave out from under me and I crashed into the black abyss, tears welling in my eyes. _What was happening to me?_

"_Chase,"_ I cried out desperately, though my voice was hoarse and laced with pain. He didn't look up at all, seeming transfixed with whatever was in his hands. "Chase, _please! Help me_!" My body was becoming immobile as my skin began to burn, coating my skin with a strange black aura. I barely had time to register that this was the same glow from when Chase had tried to kill me before another wave of pain took over.

The nothingness began to shift underneath of me, and I knew it was breaking apart...it always did in my dreams. My eyes opened in agony as tears streamed down my face, only to find Chase standing over me. This time, he was dressed in his armor, an evil smirk on his face. The nothingness began to crack underneath of me and fall as he stepped forward, and my body cringed in fear.

"Chase," I whispered, trying to reach for him. He took my hand, but his palm was ice cold, and hurt as much as the pain stabbing me. Chase bent down to my head, and a wave of fear overtook me. This was the dark Chase, the one who had wanted to kill me, and might now succeed. He lowered his mouth to my ear, until I could feel his cold breath on my throat.

"_You will fail,"_ he hissed. And then, everything beneath me gave way, sending my body plummeting down into darkness. The last thing I saw were his glowing eyes, contorted entirely into slits as he watched me fall.

* * *

My own scream jolted me out of the darkness, sending me crashing back down to earth. My eyes flew open frantically to see golden eyes above me, and I choked out a sob. Frantically, I tried to get away, but arms caught me and stopped me from moving. The pain had left my body, but the damage had been done: I was dizzy with fear and unable to stop my tears.

"Kimiko!"

Chase's voice startled me, and helped break me from my hysteria. His golden eyes met mine in urgency, and I was startled to see that they weren't the slits that had scared me. My body was twisted and contorted in an effort to get away from him, but as the pain faded away completely, I realized I had nothing to fear.

The nightmare was over. I was back in the garden with Chase kneeling above me, his eyes panicked but his face relatively emotionless. _Typical Chase._ I put out a hand to push him away from me and slowly sat up, taking deep, controlled breaths. He sat back away from me, saying nothing for the moment as I composed myself. I pulled my legs up to my chest and buried my head against them, trying to wipe my tears off on my pants.

"I'm sorry," I whispered dejectedly, trying to shake the awful images from my mind. "I…I fell asleep and had a nightmare. I'm not like this, I swear, it's just-"

"What did you see?" His voice was surprisingly cold, and I lifted my head up in surprise. Chase was staring at me intently, his eyes stern and his face now void of any emotion. His hands were clutched tightly into fists, and I furrowed my eyebrows. He was on the verge of turning again…but why?

With my face just as expressionless, I met his eyes and whispered, _"You."_

* * *

The stained glass windows in my room were dark by the time I returned. Oil lamps had been lit in my room, and their light flickered across my simple furnishings. I wearily raised my hand over top of them, and the flame grew higher until the entire room was bathed in light. A simple meal lay untouched and forgotten on my dresser.

With my arms feeling like lead, I pulled my robe off and tossed it to the floor, leaving me in nothing but an undershirt and the thin leggings I always wore. I took another few steps and collapsed into my bed, groaning with relief as the thick blankets broke my fall. Not only was my body sore, but my mind ached terribly from all the questions swarming in my head, and the nightmare that had plagued me.

I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, thankful at least that Chase wasn't with me right now. Something in his tone of voice earlier scared me; it was if he knew exactly what had happened in my nightmare. He had been in dreams before that seemed too realistic to be my imagination, and now he had appeared again. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to concentrate, but it was no use.

How was it that a man who had kidnapped me and nearly destroyed my home could charm me with a simple garden, and a flick of his healing fingers? How was it that the same man could mark me with pain as his own, try to kill me several times, and work me until I collapsed? I had never been so confused in my life. How was I supposed to help him if I couldn't even figure out who we was?

I rolled my sore body onto my side and stared at the opaque windows. That nightmare had been too realistic to dismiss as just my imagination, but what did it mean? I hadn't been close enough to Chase to see what he had held in his hands, but it was obviously important…and evil. I couldn't help but think that it was related to his unpredictable actions.

A gentle knock startled me before the door swung open, and the evil master himself stood in the doorway. He had changed out of his armor by now, and was wearing simple black robes. I shrank back uncertainly, as I normally did, but he made no move to come in from the doorway. We stared at each other for a long moment, until Chase finally broke the silence.

"We will resume your training in the morning, Kimiko," he said simply. "Be ready. I will not tolerate any weakness from you again."

My eyes narrowed slightly, but I gave him a sharp nod in response. "I'll be ready." The corners of his mouth twitched in a smile, and he turned to leave. I watched him go, but at the last second, I bounded out of my bed after him.

I ran halfway down the hall before I saw him, about to enter into a passage I swore I'd never seen before. "Chase!" I called out loudly. He whirled around at the sound of my voice, and his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, Dragon of Fire?"

I walked towards him slowly as the frantic thoughts from earlier in my head finally cleared. He leaned up against the stone wall and watched me, looking slightly amused. I stopped right before him, our bodies only inches apart. "If you're going to make me…help you…what ever you need me to do…I need you to help me, too. How am I supposed to help you if I have no idea what I'm even doing? You've told me nothing except you want to train me like a Heylin warrior. I don't even know how long you're going to keep me here…I'm not going to spend the rest of my life guessing what's happening to you!"

The flicker of amusement that had lit his eyes before disappeared, and Chase let out a heavy sigh. He picked himself off the wall and stood before me, his gaze bearing into mine. "If I could help you, Kimiko, I would," he said slowly. When I tried to protest, he put up a hand to silence me. "This curse has bound me into silence. I cannot tell you what it is without fearing it destroying us both, and I cannot tell you how to fight it, for even I do not hold that answer. By keeping you here and training you, I am trying to give you the tools to combat it, for you alone hold the key to its demise. As for telling you how long you will remain under my care, I cannot say…but you are an intelligent girl, Kimiko. I did not choose you to have you fail."

His words weighed heavy in my mind, crushing what little hope I had for figuring this whole thing out. "Then let me learn you," I said slowly, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. He stared at me in puzzlement before I continued on. "Chase, I'm not a fool. I know you're evil, but there's something deeper than that inside you. Let me learn who you really are. I need to figure you out before I can even think of helping you."

Silence fell between us, while Chase continued to stare at me, his golden eyes piercing into mine. Then, before I could react, his eyes suddenly shifted into slits, and a deep snarl erupted from his throat. He hastily turned away from me and dug his fingers into the stone to keep from moving them. His body was tensed and hunched over, and I could see the pain on his face. In the meantime, I didn't move. My heart was pounding frantically inside of me, but I made no attempt to run like I usually did.

"You want to see who I am…Even as I try to kill you?" he snarled under his breath. The black glow began to creep over his legs from the floor, but he seemed not to notice again. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, knowing he was on the edge again.

"Yes," I said softly. I tentatively reached up to put a hand on his chest, my fingers trembling. He watched me with wild eyes, and I could tell he was doing everything in his power to keep from attacking me. My palm found the heat of the flames inside him that I had felt before, and I closed my eyes. I felt Chase stiffen under my touch, but after a few moments, he began to relax. I opened my eyes again when he gently pried my arm from his skin and took my hand in his. Chase's eyes were no longer slits, but I could sense the ferocity he contained just below the surface.

He took my hand and turned it over, staring for a long moment at his dragon mark. Then, with a sigh, he raised it to his mouth. I felt instant heat rush through me as his lips brushed against the mark, and I could only stand and stare. Then, he slowly lowered my hand back to my side, though he didn't release it.

"Sleep well tonight, Dragon of Fire," he murmured softly, his eyes never leaving mine. My body was trembling slightly from his touch and still burning pleasantly, but I didn't understand it. Nothing made sense anymore. I nodded uncertainly before he swiped his thumb over the mark once more, and heat flooded my skin again.

I turned to leave before my mind was cluttered with too many questions to bear, but Chase pulled me back to him. His fingers deftly pressed against my forehead, and I only had time to see a flash of light before my feet gave out from under me. My eyes closed in surrender to the darkness he had inflicted, but not before I heard the murmur of his voice against my ear.

"_Kimiko…why must you change everything now?"_

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**(-)**

"_Kimiko."_

Relief shot through me as I heard my name being called, and I quickly turned around. I was standing underneath the delicate cherry tree outside of the Xiaolin Temple, unsure of how I had come to be there, but pleased all the same to be under its branches.

As I faced the Temple walls, my eyes caught sight of the owner of the voice, and I felt a smile grace my lips. Chase was coming towards me, his golden eyes unwavering from mine, and his features looked softer and younger. He was dressed in a dark green robe, and his very presence seemed to lighten up the landscape around us.

Without speaking again, he strode up to me and took my hands in his. The feeling of his warm skin against mine startled me, as he wasn't wearing his usual leather gloves, and he quickly pulled me against him. I felt my heart begin to pound at the closeness of his embrace, yet my hands travelled upwards, until I felt the heat of his internal flame and his heartbeat against my palms.

Then, I remembered that Chase didn't have a heartbeat. He was immortal, and had no need for one….or so he had said.

Startled, I jerked away from him, only to find that our surroundings had completely changed. We were standing in a barren wasteland, the sky red and smoke obscuring the sun. Horrified, I turned back to Chase and found that my legs were frozen in fear.

The gentle Chase was gone. In his place stood a monster with Chase's features. His topaz eyes were only slits, and I could see huge fangs protruding from his mouth. His face was contorted into a snarl, though his lips were upturned into a sadistic smile. I stumbled backwards away from him just as scales began to pattern his exposed skin, and any trace of humanity still left in him disappeared from his eyes.

"Kimiko," he rasped again. My scream of terror pierced the air as the monster lunged for my throat.

* * *

With a gasp, I shot up in my bed, my heart pounding frantically. It took me several minutes to realize that I was not being attacked and that instead, I had just woken up from a particularly realistic nightmare. I let out a long series of curses and eased myself back down into the blankets, but my body continued to tremble.

The first light of dawn was just beginning to creep in through the windows as I lay in my bed, all thoughts of sleep now erased from my mind. I had been in Chase's lair for over two weeks now, and every night, my dreams were getting more and more intense. Every single one of them featured the Heylin warrior himself, but this was the first time that I had dreamed of us together.

A light burning sensation in my wrist reminded me of the way the dream-Chase had held me in his arms, and I felt my face grow hot. What did all of this mean?

Every night, I had dreams of Chase that seemed too realistic to be true. I saw him in different lights, and in scenes that felt as if I were watching his life in movie form. Some featured the gentler Chase I had come to know when he healed me, yet most were of the terrible, dark Chase who continued to terrorize me when I least expected it.

I couldn't stop thinking about him, and more importantly, what I had to do to help him. I was still just as lost and confused as I was the day Chase dragged me here. This last dream had done nothing but assert what I already knew; darkness was threatening to overcome Chase, but what, I still wasn't sure.

Even though it was still an hour before I usually rose, I threw back the covers and eased my sore body out of the bed. Chase had continued to train me for hours each day, and he never went easy on me. Although I had perfected the technique he had taught me three years ago, I was still learning fighting styles that I hadn't even dreamed of. My body was still protesting the intense workout I received each morning, but I had no choice….and as much as I hated to admit it, I was growing stronger.

On the other hand, it seemed sometimes that Chase was growing weaker. More often than not, his face was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes whenever I saw him. Although he was still vastly more powerful than I was when we fought, I could tell that his fighting style had changed to reflect the darkness within him. He seemed to become the darker, sadistic Chase more often, especially after we finished training, when I was at my weakest. He hadn't tried to kill me again, but sometimes I could tell that he was trying desperately not to tear me apart.

And yet, I still found myself drawn to him time after time. Although Chase rarely answered my questions and irritated me more often than not, training and meditating with him had become what I looked forward to during the long days, rather than something I had once dreaded. I told myself constantly that he should be regarded as nothing but my worst enemy, but this was becoming harder and harder to do.

I needed to help him if I ever wanted my freedom, I reminded myself. That was it.

Shaking these thoughts from my mind, I pulled on a clean set of robes left on my bedside and got ready for the day. The sun was just beginning to show outside, and I headed for the stone hallway before it had a chance to illuminate my bedroom. The cats that usually guarded my door were nowhere to be found, and I found the corridor to be curiously silent. Usually I encountered a few of the feline warriors, who took every chance to voice their displeasure at my staying in the lair.

I kept walking, and before I knew where I was headed, I found myself at a stained glass door left partly ajar. It was Chase's sanctuary, and although I had never been in here without him, I felt myself drawn into its peaceful garden. With one last look around in the deserted hallway, I slipped through the doors and entered.

The sun was just beginning to rise over its glass ceiling, and I looked to see rays of light blending a pale pink sky with a muted blue. The streams around me still trickled peacefully, and I felt my fear and anxiety from the nightmare melt away within seconds. The grounds were still molded into perfection, and not a single leaf had fallen since I had been here last with Chase.

As I made my way through the plants, seeing the cherry tree made me stop in my tracks as I remembered my dream from last night. Again, I felt my face grow hot at the memory of Chase holding me so closely. It had been so realistic, and I could almost still feel his arms encircling me, his ungloved hands against my own skin. The mark on my wrist flared up at this thought, and I hastily chased the dream from my mind. He had also tried to kill me in my last dream, and I didn't want to think about it.

Knowing by the light of the sky that I only had a little bit of time before the cats came to collect me for training, I sat down underneath the tree and wearily leaned back against its trunk. The garden was completely silent, save the gentle rush of water in the streams, and I let out a sigh. I had told Chase that I wanted to learn about him, and I was no closer to discovering his secrets than I was to finally getting out of here.

Would I ever get to see my home again? The Xiaolin Temple seemed like a distant memory whenever I thought about my time spent there, and especially of my friends. Just a few weeks ago, I was training with Raimundo without a care in the world. Now, I was miles away from my friends and trapped by a Heylin warrior with a multiple personality disorder. Plus, I had left the Temple with all of my friends injured and weak. I wanted to know if they were okay as much as I wanted to be with them again. Even doing chores at the Temple for the rest of my life seemed like a great alternative to staying here another day in the dark.

The sound of footsteps on gravel startled me, and I looked up to see two very irritated cats coming through the garden. They growled upon seeing me, and I guessed that they were displeased to find me here instead of in my room. Knowing what would happen if I didn't obey, I quickly got to my feet and brushed off my clothes. It was time to face Chase once again.

* * *

Hours later, I collapsed on the cold stone floor of the training room with a groan. Chase stood calmly a few feet away, inspecting the burns and damage I had done to his lair while he remained as flawless as ever. While I tried to nurse my new bruises and injuries, Chase snapped his fingers once, and cats on the other side of the hall sprang into action.

As the jungle cats quickly made their way over to us, he crouched down besides me and knocked my arms away from where I had been holding my body, trying to stop the bleeding and pain. I glared at him as he calmly summoned his healing powers, and then swept his glowing fingers over my broken skin. The pain disappeared immediately as I felt Heylin energy seep through my veins, all while Chase crouched over me with deep concentration.

I couldn't help but watch his eyes as he healed me; with each injury that disappeared, his eyes grew darker and darker until his pupils had almost transformed into slits. Harsh energy filled the air around us, and I quickly wrapped my tiny fingers around his wrist. Heat flooded my body and the mark began to burn unpleasantly, but I held on as Chase finished the last of my wounds.

As my final bruise disappeared, Chase jerked away from me with a snarl and got to his feet. By now the cats were bowing at his side, and one offered a small bowl on a tray in front of him. As I rubbed my sore shoulders, Chase snatched up the bowl and began to drink quickly. A disgusting smell wafted towards me and I wrinkled my nose, but as I watched Chase drink, his features slowly began to relax. By the time he lowered the bowl from his lips, his eyes were almost at their normal color again.

"Well done, Kimiko," he said at last, nodding towards the havoc I had caused with my element. He tossed the bowl back to the cats and extended a hand to me. I reluctantly took it as he pulled me to my feet, though my gaze stayed on the bowl. It wasn't the first time I had seen him drink it, though he had never taken one so soon after training practice.

"You have been using Heylin energy to your advantage much more in the last few days…I'm pleased that you have finally discovered where your true power lies."

"I'm only using it to try and beat you," I snapped back, yanking my own hand out his grasp. "Once I'm out of here, I'll never use it again. You're trying to get me to fight for the Heylin side, and it's not going to happen. I'm a-"

"…Xiaolin Dragon, through and through. Yes, Kimiko, I'm all too aware. Come, you must be hungry by now. I'll have my servants prepare you something before we meditate today." Chase strode off without another word, expecting me to follow obediently as I had learned to do. Instead, I stood in place, staring down at the bowl that he had just consumed.

"What did you just drink?" I asked quietly. Chase stopped in his tracks and looked at me, his expression unreadable as I bent down to pick it up in my hands. A drop of green, brackish liquid rolled from the rim and splattered to the floor, and I swore I saw a tiny cloud of steam rise into the air.

"Nothing that concerns you at the moment," he said coldly. "I said come, you need to eat before we carry on with your training today." Chase turned back around, and I felt anger rise in my chest.

Before I realized that I had even thrown it, the bowl smacked into the back of Chase's head with a large bang and fell noisily to the floor. He whirled around on me, his face contorted into anger and a snarl on his lips, and I knew I was in trouble.

"_Dragon of Fire-"_

"How am I supposed to help you?" I said angrily, trying to stand my ground as his eyes grew darker once more. "I thought you would help me! I thought you knew what you were doing when you brought me here! It's been two weeks and you've done nothing but work me to the bone. You kidnapped me to help you, and you can't even answer a simple question? What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you wanted me to succeed!"

I could hear the growl in his throat as he stalked towards me, and I knew that I was playing with the darker Chase now. "I am doing everything I can," he snarled. "Do you think that I am just toying with you? I have much more important things to do than to play with the mind of a Xiaolin Dragon!"

"Then let me go, and you'll have one less Xiaolin Dragon to plague you!" I retorted. By now, we were only feet apart, and I felt my body grow hot as I semiconsciously summoned my element. Our eyes locked onto each other, and out of the corner of my gaze, I watched as his gloves tore a crack. He had tightened his hands into fists.

Then, before I even knew what had happened, we were fighting. Although I had just been in training for three hours, I was throwing fire at him like faster and harder than I ever had before. Energy consumed my body and made my flames intensify, while Chase went to work blocking every move I made.

Within a few seconds, our bodies collided and he struck out at me, nearly catching my chin with his powerful fist. I ducked out of the way and went into a fighting stance before our hand-to-hand combat began. He succeeded in his next blow across my shoulder, but before he had a chance to land another strike, I rammed straight into his stomach. While his armor protected him from the blow, I at least bought myself some time to recalculate my next move as he pushed back against me.

Although I could tell Chase was still holding back, I was putting every ounce of determination and strength I had against him. Yet, Chase still countered me easily, and before long, I was trying to defend myself against his blows once again. I brought my flames back and tried to scorch him, but he easy broke through my attacks like the fire didn't even affect him.

With my eyes narrowed, I formed a swirling ball of flames in my palms, let them intensify to blistering hot, and then charged straight at him. His stance went rigid, and just as my flame and his body collided, he grabbed my arms in an attempt to throw me away from him. I was prepared for this, and as he was about to toss me, I wrapped my leg in between his to keep me close to him to let my attack go through.

Instead, right when my flames could have melted his armor, Chase threw his weight against me. I let out a startled yelp as he tackled me to the floor, and my fire evaporated into the air. Just as my head would have hit the stone, I felt his hand cradle me and take the impact before we were back to fighting on the floor.

We were both snarling in each other's faces as we tried to get a blow in on the other and pin each other to the floor. While Chase had landed on top of me, I wasted no time in rolling over so that I was straddling him, though he still had a good grip on one of my arms. As I tried to hit him square in the face, Chase suddenly lunged to the side so that I ended up flat on my back, and he was kneeling above me. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed both my wrists and effectively held my arms to the floor, while he kept my legs immobilized with his own. I furiously tried to get out of his grasp but it was to no avail; I was trapped.

I was panting and near exhausted from our fight, and as I looked up at Chase, I was startled to see that he was breathing heavily as well. Our faces were only inches apart, and although I was covered with sweat and a new round of bruises, he was staring at me in a way that I had never seen before. The darkness was completely gone from his eyes, and I found that my heart was beating rapidly in my chest from the proximity of our bodies and the intensity of his stare. I had long since stopped struggling as our eyes locked, and heat began to flood my body from where his limbs touched mine.

I saw confusion flicker through his eyes as he scanned my face, almost as if he had never seen me before, and I stared back readily, too dazed to even comprehend what was going on. Without even meaning to, he had begun to close the distance between us, and I felt a spike of adrenaline rush through me as his lips inched even closer to mine.

"A_hem_."

Chase jerked overtop of me, and I frantically turned my head to see Wuya staring at us from a few feet away, and even worse, a slack-jawed Jack Spicer besides her. My face immediately turned bright red and I tried to push Chase off of me, but he took his time calmly getting to his feet. As soon as my arms and legs were free, I scrambled upright and brushed off my clothes, pretending as if they hadn't just walked in on us in a compromising position. Wuya was almost glaring at Chase, while Jack kept moving his gaze from Chase to me and back to Chase, his mouth wide open all the time. No doubt already concocting a twisted story in that too-large head of his, I sent him my best death glare and Jack quickly sobered up.

"Wuya, Jack. Welcome," Chase said calmly, looking immaculate and unconcerned as usual. "I did not expect you until tomorrow evening…This is a surprise."

"The boy and I thought we'd stop over earlier…Forgive me Chase, I would have announced myself had I known you would be…._busy._" Wuya fixed her glare on me now, and I readily scowled back.

"No matter Wuya, we will discuss our business now. Kimiko, retire to your chamber and take this half-wit with you. Keep him occupied while Wuya and I converse…I will send for you to continue your training as soon as I am done."

I rolled my eyes at Chase and his command, trying to pretend that I had not been affected by our previous encounter. Even so, my skin was still flushed and my heart was pounding. What exactly had Chase been about to do? It wasn't like him to linger so long after he had won a fight, and yet, he had remained closer to me at that moment than we had ever been before. _Had he been about to…_

_No,_ I told myself. I tried to block this thought from my head as I remembered Chase's orders, and turned towards Jack. "Come on," I muttered, then latched onto his wrist. He gave a yelp that was too high-pitched for a normal twenty-something year old and stumbled after me. I continued to yank him behind me and began to walk as fast as I could out of the training room, almost dragging the Evil-Boy-Genius behind me.

Even so, I could still feel Chase's piercing gaze on my retreating figure and Wuya's as well. By now, Jack had caught up to me and was walking in step with me, his large strides equal to about three of mine. He was looking over his shoulder at the two Heylin warriors, though I refused to look back.

"Damn," he said with a chuckle. "Wuya looks _pissed_. What the hell was that, Kimiko-"

"Don't say a word," I snapped back. "If you mention anything, I swear I will set you on fire."

Jack immediately quieted down, though there was nothing I could do to wipe the obnoxious smirk off of his face.

I was just about to leave the chamber when I heard Wuya spoke, and although her voice was soft, her sharp tones carried all the way to me on the other side.

"You are letting your affection for the girl go too far," she hissed. My breath caught in my throat, and before Chase could reply, I hurried away out of earshot as fast as I could.

I was tightlipped and angry the entire way back to my room, while Jack continued to walk lightly besides me. In the past few years I hadn't seen Jack a lot, so it was weird that he was right beside me, nevertheless here again when I was trapped with Chase. After I had returned to the Temple three years ago, Jack had gotten a scholarship to some fancy university in America, and he had gone off to wreck havoc elsewhere. The monks and I rarely saw him, only when he showed up for some of the more useful Shen Gong Wu. From I had heard, Jack was building robots for the American government- "Aka, taking over the world from the inside out," he had told me proudly.

He had grown up since then, as his baby fat was replaced with muscle and he no longer looked albino, but he was still no threat to me. Even though he must have been over foot taller than me by now and was in his early twenties, he was still just the immature boy I had known years ago. I managed to silence him with only one more death glare, and I continued to storm down the corridor.

At last, I threw open the familiar wooden door and stepped inside, only to have Jack swerve around me and jump onto my unmade bed. I watched as he made himself comfortable by rolling onto his stomach and propping his head in his hands, and I felt something sink in the pit of my stomach.

"Okay Kimiko," he said, his face and tone completely serious. "Time for girl talk."

I gaped at him for a whole minute before I realized he was being sincere, and I couldn't help but let out a strained laugh. Without even responding, I shook my head and slammed the door behind me, then fumed off towards the bathroom.

My head was already spinning from Chase's actions and Wuya's words, and I didn't need an Evil Boy Genius to confuse me even more. I locked the bathroom door behind me, turned on the shower to as cold as possible, and stepped directly into the freezing spray. Steam rose off of my heated body in waves, and I shuddered as I let my body slide to the floor. I needed to cool off, and it wouldn't be easy to wash away all the dirt, blood, and anxiety from earlier this morning.

I let the water pound down upon me until the intense heat of my body was exhausted, and my mind was numb with the blessed cold.

* * *

**((Review!))**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Wuya's eyes narrowed as she watched the Xiaolin warrior exit the chamber, while Chase stood calmly besides her, his expression impassive. As the two disappeared behind a stone column, she whirled around on him with her eyes ablaze.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, rearing up angrily as she floated near his face. "You are letting your affection for the girl go too far!"

"I don't know what you mean, Wuya," Chase replied calmly. He snapped his fingers, and within a few seconds one of his servants emerged with a bowl of soup balanced on a tray. He picked it up lightly and drank, all while Wuya stared at him in disgust.

"Don't play me for a fool Chase," she snarled back. "I've watched the way you look at her, even before all of this nonsense! And now you want me to believe that silly little girl won't-"

"Wuya, that 'silly little girl' is the only one with the power I need. I trust you haven't forgotten that, or are you content with living the rest of your immortal life as a transparent wisp? No wonder your enemies don't take you seriously; even with your magic, you're hardly a threat in _that _form." Chase smugly looked over at her disgruntled expression, and took another slow sip of his soup.

"Don't mock me! You're running out of time," she replied, her voice cold. "I can see it in your eyes. If she doesn't do something soon…everything will be lost. I won't be able to get my body back, and you...you-"

"I'm well aware of the consequences, Wuya," he interrupted. "However, you of all people know the conditions I must follow. There is nothing I can do to hurry her, and if it senses I am working to destroy it…"

There was silence for a moment, and Wuya sighed angrily. "Then stay away from her," she said warningly, her voice cold. "I won't have any of your…_human_ emotions ruining our plans."

Chase choked back a laugh as he took a final sip of his soup and tossed the bowl behind him. As it bounced and clattered along the stone floor, he turned to face Wuya with a smug expression. His eyes shifted into slits, and as his lips curved into a smile, the tips of fangs were visible behind his sneer. "Believe me," he said. "I haven't felt human emotions for over fifteen hundred years."

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Jack said, his voice muffled by a mouthful of chips. "Chase kidnapped you twice, almost killed you several times, and won't even tell you what you're doing here?"

"And all he does is give me cryptic answers and beat me up!" I huffed back. We were both lying on our stomachs on my bed, surrounded by a pile of snacks Jack had brought with him from college. Before us, a Jackbot with a TV screen for its stomach displayed the newest Goo Zombies, straight from Japan. With a controller in hand and surrounded by junk food, I felt almost…normal again. I was actually enjoying myself without the presence of a certain schizophrenic, even if Jack wasn't exactly the most desirable company.

Of course it was weird to be lying next to him, discussing things my best friends didn't even know about, but what else could I do? I was cut off from the Xiaolin Temple and desperate for any news that would get me out of here. So far, Jack had drawn up nothing on what Chase wanted with me, nor of what was happening to him.

"I've only seen her a few times in the past month, but Wuya hasn't said anything about Chase. She's her usual doom and gloom self." Both of our eyes were rapt on the screen as we entered a new level, and within a few seconds, the sounds of furious clicking filled the air.

"She _has_ to know something! Why else would she keep trying to talk to him? Plus, if I had a dollar for every dirty look she's given me in the past few days…Wuya knows, I'm certain. You have to find out for me!"

"Hey, it's not like I'm her favorite or anything! Wuya barely has any use for me anymore. She's always up to something with _Ashley_ now. I'm the backup."

I sighed in exasperation as we duked it out in the game and tried to focus. I didn't want to think about Chase in the little time off that I had, but it was impossible. Every time my mind went blank, I found that my thoughts crept back to him, particularly the moment before Wuya interrupted us. At this memory, I felt my cheeks grow hot, and I quickly put all my energy into cutting off the heads of zombies in the game.

"Have you heard anything from…the Temple?" I asked hesitantly, shifting my gaze over to Jack. He was in the middle of a particularly vicious fight, and his red eyes were narrowed in concentration. Once he had defeated his opponent, he turned back to me and shrugged.

"Not really," he said honestly. "A Shen Gong Wu revealed itself a week ago, and when we both went to get it, they looked pretty beat up. Actually, I wondered where you were- they didn't say anything about you. I didn't even know you were here until Wuya showed up at my door a few hours ago. Why?"

I sighed again and looked away. "No reason."

"Do you want me to get a message to them somehow?"

"Wow Jack, helping out your enemy? College has done wonders for your personality; I thought I'd be spending the day hearing you gloat the entire time."

He immediately scowled and punched me in the shoulder. "Don't test your luck, Kimiko. Chase may be my evil hero, but I hate being left out of the loop just as much as you do. I thought I'd offer to tell them, just in case you need a rescue mission or something."

"Oh, so you're not here to save me?"

"I'm better at kidnapping. Believe me."

In spite of myself, I laughed and punched him back, though he scowled and rubbed his shoulder afterwards. "They already know I'm here," I said quietly. "It's okay. I told them not to come after me…the guys need to be kept out of this."

Jack absentmindedly nodded, his eyes fixated on the game. With a sigh, I turned my attention back to the screen and had just begun to take down my own round of zombies when the door to my room burst open.

We both jumped and scrambled to our feet as the bang echoed throughout the stone chamber, sending wrappers skittering to the floor. Wuya floated in the doorway, her lips set in a straight line. Behind her, I could see several jungle cats growling impatiently, though their eyes were fixed on Jack. He gave a soft whimper besides me, and I rolled my eyes.

"Come, Jack," Wuya said sternly, motioning him forward. He gave me an apologetic look and hurried for the door. I quickly pressed my remote into his hand and looked up pleadingly towards him.

"_I'll try,"_ Jack mouthed silently, slightly jerking his head towards Wuya. I nodded, and watched as the two disappeared from the doorframe.

When no jungle cats came to claim me next, I remained in my room for the rest of the day, idly cleaning and trying to develop a new strategy for dealing with Chase. Jack had left all of his wrappers lying around, and I spent the better part of the afternoon picking them and chip crumbs from the folds of my sheets. The cats had delivered a meal for me, but I only idly picked at it before it grew cold.

At last, when the sun dipped down below the horizon and my room began to darken with the approaching night, I threw myself down on the bed. As much as I wanted to avoid thinking about Chase, he was never far from my mind and I was exhausted from thinking through all the possibilities.

"He had a witch cast a spell on him- no, too Disney. He….sold his soul to the devil for immortality? No…he didn't have a soul to begin with. Some scorned lover got her revenge?" I stopped dead in my tracks at this thought, and my face paled. "…Definitely not helping him break _that_ curse."

With a groan, I buried my face in the pillows and lay there, wishing I at least had Jack's video games to keep me distracted. Instead, I had to be content with my guessing game, and wait for the answers to come.

* * *

When I lifted my head from the pillow again, my room was pitch black. The lamps had been extinguished, and no light shone through the stained glass windows. I blinked and sat up among the blankets, feeling a curious calm. I was wide-awake, even though it was the middle of the night.

Slowly, I slipped down from the bed and walked towards the door. An unfamiliar energy was pulling me outwards, and I hesitantly tugged on the handle, since it was usually locked. The door swung open with a low creak, and I was met again with darkness.

I began to walk anyways down the corridor, feeling cool stones beneath my feet. After a few moments I found myself in the grand entrance, and made my way towards an adjacent hallway. At the end of the dark path, a soft glow of light met my eyes. I took a few more steps and realized I was heading towards Chase's sanctuary.

The stained glass doors had been left slightly ajar, and I slipped through into the garden. It was unusually silent, though as I looked around, I realized that the light was coming from a full moon and a bright, star-filled sky. The moonlight seemed to point me farther in and I quickly trekked through a row of bushes.

However, as soon as I crossed to the other side, I stopped in my tracks. My breath caught in my throat as I realized Chase was here too, lying down beneath the cherry tree with his arms crossed behind his head. His eyes were closed, and he wore the same simple black robes that I had seen him wear before. He looked unusually peaceful, and unsure of what I was even doing here, I quietly tried to leave.

"I was wondering when you would come," Chase drawled from his spot on the grass. I flinched and slowly turned back around to see him staring at me, one eyebrow raised. Immediately, I felt my face grow hot as his golden eyes swept over me.

"Sorry," I blurted out. "I don't even know what I'm doing here, I just woke up and-"

"No matter. Come, sit." Chase gestured to the empty plot of grass next to him, and I hesitated for only a moment before walking over. I dropped down next to him and pulled my knees against my chest, while he relaxed back into laying down.

We sat in silence for a moment, both staring at the stars above us. I couldn't tell if they were an illusion or real, but either way, their light was enough to illuminate the garden around us. With a sigh, I lay my head against my knees, and stole a glance at Chase.

"What are you?" I asked quietly. He turned his head and looked straight into my eyes, his own gaze pensive.

"A warrior," he replied, after a moment of hesitation. "Above all else, I am a warrior and have been so for hundreds of years."

"But you weren't always Heylin, were you? Why…why did you change?"

He let out a breath of air, and I couldn't tell if he sounded annoyed or not. "I wanted more power," he said emotionlessly, his gaze fixated again on the stars. "I was young, talented, and knew I could be great. Being good had too many rules. I chose this life, and never looked back."

We passed a few more minutes in silence, and I slowly allowed my body to relax next to him. For some reason, I didn't feel strange talking to him like this. Without the evil in his eyes, I had a feeling this was the Chase I only caught glimpses of behind his tough façade. This was the Chase who chose to heal me, not strangle me to death.

"I wasn't much older than you when I made my decision," Chase said suddenly, startling me. His eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of unease pass through them. "I was restless. Those at the Temple overlooked me for Dashi, although he is long gone now. You reminded me of myself so very long ago, when I first found you. I think, perhaps, that is what drew me to take you as my apprentice."

"I'm _not_ your apprentice," I said firmly, attempting to scoot farther away. He easily caught my wrist and drew me back to him, then deftly placed his fingers upon the dragon mark.

"If you insist, Dragon of Fire." A wave of warmth flooded my body right before he released me, and I drew my arm back around my knees. Chase gave me a smug look, and I readily scowled back.

"Where were you, for all that time?" I asked. "I mean, our scrolls say you disappeared fifteen hundred years ago-"

"Your history is wrong," he interrupted firmly. "I did not _disappear._ I spent years training myself in the Heylin arts, cultivating my magic, and spreading fear at the mention of my name. Everything around you was not built in a single night. I challenged the best warriors of every nation and took them as my servants when they fell. I had no use for Shen Gong Wu, and Dashi hid them soon before his demise."

By now, his gaze was rapt on mine and I found that I couldn't look away. "And now?" I whispered, holding my knees more tightly. "Why did you come back?"

"I felt the power of the Shen Gong Wu for the first time in centuries," he said slowly, "and I knew it was finally time to rise. Yet, imagine my disbelief when I discovered a new generation of Xiaolin Dragons stood in my way. I watched them from afar and had just decided to destroy them…when I realized I alone did not hold the power to conquer the world. After fifteen hundred years of preparation, I needed fire-"

"And you found me," I said quietly. Chase's lips curved into a half smile, and he nodded.

"I sensed the power you contained. It was inaccessible by Xiaolin means, but with the help of a witch's spell, I knew I could release it as Heylin energy instead. I watched you for months, calculating your every move, until the time was right to claim you."

I tried not to look unnerved as Chase finished speaking, though I couldn't help but allow goose bumps to claim my arms. He spoke so nonchalantly, as if he was telling me about picking up dry cleaning, rather than kidnapping a Xiaolin Dragon.

"And now," I said finally, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why did you come back now? Why am I-"

"A story for another night, I think," he interrupted smoothly. I knew Chase couldn't tell me, but I had been hoping he would let something slip. With a sigh, I lowered myself onto the cool grass and tucked my arms behind my head.

The stars looked exactly the same as they did at the Temple, and I couldn't help but let a troubled look pass over my face. What were the guys doing right now? Although it was the middle of the night, I knew Clay had an affinity for late night snacks, and Rai was often playing video games until the sun rose. Omi could usually be found in his bed, on Master Fung's orders, but every once in a while the four of us would sneak out of the Temple together. We were teenagers, after all, and the world's nightlife had much to offer.

"You miss your comrades, don't you?" Chase said suddenly, his voice cold. With a frown, I turned my head to see him staring at me intently, with hints of shadows covering his face.

"What?"

"You may be a powerful Xiaolin Dragon, but you are terrible at hiding your emotions, Kimiko. I can see the sorrow in your eyes."

"I do miss them," I said back quietly, "but I'm more worried if they're okay. You nearly killed Master Fung and Raimundo, and the rest were badly hurt. You barely even gave me a chance to say goodbye, and if something bad happens while I'm here…"

"Collateral damage," he muttered under his breath. Chase suddenly looked annoyed, and I felt tenseness in the air as he stared, irritated, back at the ceiling.

"How can you even say that?" I said, propping myself up on my hands. "Those are my friends, I've grown up with them, I've-"

"You mistake me for a human, Kimiko," he interrupted, "and I have not been one for fifteen hundred years."

"Then what _are_ you, Chase? Believe me, I've been trying to figure it out! If you'll just _tell_ me-"

The next thing I knew, Chase had grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me towards him. I let out a yelp of surprise as I flipped over him and landed flat on my back, with the wind knocked out of me. Seconds later, my view of the night sky was blocked as Chase loomed over me, still holding onto my collar.

"I cannot," he hissed, his voice low. Dazed, I looked up to see that his eyes were contorted into slits again, and the air was filled with a harsh energy.

"I know," I dejectedly whispered back. Without even thinking, I reached my hand up to touch his face. He looked at me with a choked expression, and for a moment, we wordlessly stared at each other. His eyes stilled and transformed back into their usual state, and he released my rumpled shirt from his grasp.

Just as my fingertips brushed his face, Chase jerked away as quickly as he had pinned me. I struggled to get up, only to see him sitting a few feet away with his back against the cherry tree. He was staring placidly at the darkened gardens, with one hand against where I had touched him.

"It's getting harder to control, isn't it?" I asked slowly. Chase didn't respond, though I watched as his shoulders tensed. His frown deepened for a moment and then he gracefully rose to his feet.

"Come," he said, extending a hand. "It's late, you should be resting. I still intend to resume your training at dawn."

I accepted his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet, although I was reluctant to leave the sanctuary. Tomorrow, I knew we would both act as if this never happened. After all, he was my captor, and based on the mark on my arm, I was nothing to him but a vessel of power.

We didn't speak as we made our way through the garden, and with his emotionless expression, I couldn't tell what Chase was thinking. The towering plants and the pale sheen of the moon cast strange shadows across his face and made his eyes seem darker than usual. I tried not to look at him and kept my own face steady.

The hallway outside was still pitch black, but with a snap of his fingers, oil lamps lit in brackets along the wall.

"Do you do this often?" I asked at last, my voice echoing in the empty hallway, "sitting in your garden in the dark?"

Chase smirked and clasped his hands behind his back. "Is it that hard to believe that I too have sleepless nights, Dragon of Fire?"

"I figured you would be pillaging small villages and terrorizing the locals instead."

"No, simply planning to take over the world."

By now we had reached the main hall, and I paused for a moment as a faint banging noise reached my ears.

"What is that?" I asked, slightly confused. Chase looked towards the source of the noise, and I watched as his expression darkened.

"Nothing of importance," he said at last. "I do not leave my home unguarded while I sleep. My servants are merely patrolling the grounds. I will ensure that they will not disturb you."

Before I had a chance to reply, he swooped a hand behind my back and guided me into the hallway that led to my room. He was still frowning, and I had the feeling he was trying to get me back as quickly as possible. As we approached the familiar doorway, I looked back at him and immediately stumbled over an uneven stone.

Instead falling flat on my face, Chase somehow dodged in front of me and caught me in his arms. I let out an oof as I smacked straight into his chest, and he grabbed my arms to steady me.

For a moment, we remained immobile, still holding onto each other. I was close enough to feel heat radiating from his skin, and I'm sure he heard the irregular beating of my heart. My mind was curiously blank as he tightened his embrace, and I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck.

"Careful," he murmured against my hair, and my heart skipped a beat. Immediately I came to my senses and jerked away from him, trying to keep my burning face hidden.

"Goodnight," I said hurriedly. I didn't dare look at Chase again as I stepped around him and into my room. He remained standing there, staring at the spot I had just been, and I quickly closed the door.

It was only when his footsteps had receded that I allowed myself to breathe.

* * *

_They were back._

As Chase made his way back into the main entrance of the hall, he allowed his control to fade away. With every step he took, he could feel power infusing his body as Heylin energy rushed through his veins. A glance into one of the fountain pools revealed that darkness had engulfed his eyes, and he grimly smiled.

Out of the darkened hall, cats began to prowl forward, their eyes glowing in the little lighting. Soft growls accompanied their footsteps as they followed Chase to the door. Here, the banging was at its strongest as someone attempted to enter from the outside. Chase paused for a moment, listening to the yells and the attacks on his wards. His eyes narrowed, and in a rush of air, he disappeared from the hall.

* * *

"It's not workin' Rai!" Clay shouted, brushing sweat off beneath his hat. "Give it a rest, you're gonna hurt yourself."

"There has to be a way to get in there," Raimundo panted, bending over and clutching his side. He had been slamming tornadoes and heavy gusts of wind against the door for almost an hour, and it hadn't even budged.

"Raimundo, do not exert yourself too heavily!" Omi chimed in. "You'll break your sewing-"

"-Tear his stitches, Omi."

"Guys, Kim's been stuck in there for weeks! Who knows what he's done to her by now? We have to get her out."

"Rai, Omi and I have tried. Chase's got some powerful magic 'round here. Even with Shen Gong Wu, there ain't no way to get in."

"Maybe there's another entrance, or a secret lever or something." Raimundo began forming another tornado in his palms, even as he wavered on his feet. Quickly, Clay stepped in front of him and grabbed his arms.

"Rai, stop. You just got out of the infirmary, I don't want you endin' back up in there, especially when Master Fung has no idea we're out here. We need to head back, it's getting' close to dawn-"

"One more time, Clay…please. Kim would be doing the same for us."

Clay sighed heavily and tipped his hat. "Got that, Omi? You ready?"

He was met with silence, and Clay stiffened. Raimundo immediately felt a chill run down his spine, and the two whirled around on their feet as a horrible gasping noise filled the air.

From out of the shadows, Chase Young stepped forward maliciously, holding the youngest of the monks by his throat. His golden eyes were glinting in the moonlight, and his lips were curved into a snarl.

"Omi!" Raimundo shouted, just as the Heylin warrior threw him to their feet. Omi crashed into the rock and lay still, gasping for breath.

"Chase," Clay growled, moving into a fighting stance. "Why, you no-good, down-low, evil varmint-"

"I have allowed you to live thus far," Chase interrupted angrily, advancing on the three boys, "only because the Dragon of Fire bargained for your lives. Do _not_ tempt me to slit your throats."

"Then let her go!" Raimundo snarled back, his hair whipping wildly in the wind. "She's not your slave! If you even laid one finger against her-"

With a hiss, Chase lunged at him, moving so quickly that Raimundo never had a chance to react. In seconds, he had Raimundo pinned against the rough cavern wall, with his nails dug into his throat.

"Kimiko belongs to _me,_" he growled. "I will do whatever I please with her, and there is _nothing_ you can do to stop me."

His grip grew stronger against Raimundo's throat, and as Clay and Omi watched helplessly, Chase's arm began to tremble. His black robe split along the seam and scales began to pattern his skin, turning his flesh into a hard emerald mass. Raimundo's eyes grew frantic with fear and he tried to get away, but Chase was merciless. As he lowered his deadly gaze down to the level of Raimundo's eyes, his arm had completely transformed into a claw.

"Leave, and never return," Chase growled. "I will allow you to leave here unscathed for Kimiko's sake, but if you so much as knock at this door again, I will rip your organs from your body, one by one."

With another snarl, he threw the boy towards his comrades and stalked off towards the darkness. Clay quickly ran forward and caught Raimundo, and the three stared in horror at Chase's retreating figure.

"You're a monster," Clay said breathlessly. Chase paused and slowly turned around, a sadistic smile on his face. In the moonlight, the boys could see fangs dripping from his teeth, and scales had begun to pattern the exposed skin of his chest.

"I know," Chase hissed, and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

**((Review!))**


	11. Chapter 11

**((A/N: You're in for a doosy. I hope everyone enjoys this update, because it was exhausting to write (but not in a bad way!). Just get ready for a lot of emotional times as **_**Dragon Mark**_** makes its way into its final chapters. Thank you for all of your continued support, and please remember to REVIEW!))**

(-)

**Chapter 11**

Another week passed, with no word from Jack or the outside world. While I had expected Wuya to return in the next day or so, she and Jack remained curiously absent. I didn't ask Chase about their disappearance; ever since our night in the sanctuary together, he had grown increasingly distant and cold. I had the distinct feeling that I was running out of time, but for what, I still didn't know.

Like in the past few weeks, I started my days at dawn with training. Chase continued to push me to my limits, never letting me rest until I perfected a move or attack. I was slowly learning the way he moved and thought in battle; while he still remained largely unpredictable, every once in a while I was able to see where he would go next and block or avoid his attack. He seemed the most pleased with this progress, but my learning also had its consequences. After the training sessions where I was able to block him, he almost always transformed into his dark side. Often, he would drink his disgusting smelling soup and disappear into his lair before I even had a chance to get to my feet.

And yet, I still had patience for him. Although I was frustrated with my lack of knowledge and Chase's cryptic ways, I tried to seek him out whenever I could. On occasion, I would be able to calm him down and revert him to his regular personality, whatever that was. He seemed both grateful and annoyed, and usually avoided me afterwards until he had something else for me to do.

We were no longer student and teacher, or even apprentice or master. He no longer looked at me like I was just his prisoner and a means to gain power. I could even feel my disdain for him slowly ebbing away. I had no name for our strange relationship, but I didn't want to acknowledge that we had become something else; I didn't know what that even meant! My thoughts were becoming twisted together, alternating with attraction and repulsion.

It _had_ to be Stockholm syndrome.

I contemplated this as I wearily walked back to my room, sore from the last bout of training. Chase had been harsher than usual on the offensive today, and my body still felt like it was on fire. All I wanted to do was soak in an ice cold bath until my limbs were numb, but as I pushed open the door to my room, I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Jack was lying in my bed, propped up on pillows and his hands behind his head. "Miss me?" he said suggestively, winking as he patted the bed beside him.

In response, I groaned and collapsed facedown next to him. "How long have you been here?" I asked, my voice muffled by the blankets.

"Just got here. Wuya's off to find Chase and I figured I'd pop in and see how you were doing…What has Chase been doing to you? You look like you got run over by a truck."

"I feel like it," I mumbled back. I carefully rolled over onto my side and rubbed my shoulders, wincing all the while. "Did you find anything out from Wuya?"

"She keeps yelling at me about taking over the world. Well, that's pretty normal, but lately she's been a lot more adamant about it. I think she's expecting Chase to get her a body somehow."

"But why wouldn't Chase have given her a body before? He's powerful enough to do it."

"…Maybe not. I mean, you told me how he's been acting lately. Chase could be growing weaker with whatever he's dealing with. Either way, Wuya is still obsessing over him. She dragged me out of bed at _eleven_ in the morning just to get me to come here with her."

I rolled my eyes at Jack, but I could feel cold begin to seep through my veins. Chase may not have been as powerful right now, but he had a vessel of Heylin energy at his disposal- me. What if he and Wuya were planning behind my back to take over the world? Chase could have easily fooled me into thinking I was here for a different purpose than three years ago. Even though he had promised not to use me to conquer the world, I knew he was more than capable of tricking me.

I had been here for six weeks, and while doubts continuously peppered my thoughts, none were so strong as this one. I glanced over at Jack to see him lazily staring at the ceiling, unconcerned that he might have just uncovered my real purpose here.

"She's probably just being her usual crazy self," I said slowly, careful not to reveal my true feelings. "Wuya hasn't had a body since Raimundo helped her, and Chase has been around for a few years now. If he hasn't helped her already, I don't think he will."

* * *

Two hours later, we were both summoned to the training hall by a pair of jungle cats that had been sent to fetch us. Jack had kept me busy with video games and chatter about the outside world, partially distracting me from the doubts that now plagued my mind. While he was laid back and unconcerned on our walk, I remained stiff and wary. There was no way that Chase would use me like that again. He wasn't the same person as he was three years ago, and with his split-personality disorder, I knew there was something deeper going on behind his actions.

But even so, I couldn't help but let my nerves overtake rationality.

When we entered the hall, Chase and Wuya were waiting on the side, engaging in light conversation. I immediately caught Chase's eye as we approached, and he gave me a slight nod. Wuya glanced over at the two of us appraisingly, and I glared back at her. She sneered and turned her gaze to Jack, who was texting on a cellphone, and I watched as her expression deflated into annoyance.

"Kimiko," Chase called, meeting my eyes again. I felt a shiver run down my spine, even though there was no hint of darkness in his gaze. Chase jerked his head towards Jack, and I instantly knew what he was up to. _"Attack."_

Immediately I whirled on my feet and sent a small wave of fire towards Jack, just enough to singe his clothes and alert him to my presence. He yelped and jumped backwards, cellphone still in hand.

"What the hell was that?" Jack shouted angrily at me. I rolled my eyes and sent another wave of fire, which he avoided by throwing himself to the floor.

"…Sorry."

Jack scrambled to his feet as I charged at him, preparing to catch him off guard. He somehow managed to catch my fist as I punched towards his jaw, but after a moment of struggle, I pushed him off of his feet. Jack rolled out of the way as I shoved a sphere of flames towards the floor, and started running towards the opposite end of the hall.

He was furiously typing on his phone the whole time, and as I darted after him, I suddenly understood why. A squad of Jackbots flew in from nowhere, separating me from Jack at the opposite end of the hall.

Now it was my turn to be on the defensive. I jumped out of the way as one of the robots sent a beam of green light towards me, and metal cords shot out of another. Quickly, I formed another sphere of fire in my palms and sent it towards the most threatening robot. Yet, instead of breaking like I anticipated, my fire merely bounced off of the robot and disappeared; the Jackbot was fire resistant.

With a groan, I tried to dodge again as the robots advanced on me. The Jackbot with the cords suddenly shot my way, and I barely had time to react as the metal restraints attempted to curl around my arms and legs. It managed to snake one around my ankle, and I let out a yelp as I crashed straight to the floor.

The robot began to drag me towards the others, and I jerked my leg in an attempt to get away. Instead, my body slid uselessly along the slick stone floor. With a bit of effort, I managed to grab the cord wrapped around me and summoned fire to my palms until my hands were glowing red-hot. The heat traveled up the metal, glowing red as it went, and I had to shield my eyes as the robot suddenly combusted.

Wasting no time, I unwrapped the metal from around my leg and threw myself at the other robots. While the rest shot green light at me, singing the bottom of my robes, I leapt into the air and threw fire directly at their weapons. The body of Jack's robots seemed to be fire resistant, but with a few good kicks and my still red-hot hands, I managed to take out their guns. Then, destroying the robots was just a matter of martial arts.

The hall went silent as the rest of the Jackbots fell to the floor in various states of damage and disarray. Jack stood at the opposite end, his mouth slack-jawed as I slowly made my way towards him. I hadn't even broken a sweat yet, and I could feel Chase's eyes on me from behind.

"Those were my newest models!" Jack wailed, unable to keep his eyes off of the wreckage. "I tested them on the other monks, and they couldn't even destroy them! How the hell did you do that?"

"Practice," I called back. No matter how much I despised Chase for what he made me do each day, I was strong. I could feel energy in my veins and power in my muscles from the endless hours of training he made me do. While I hadn't seen my friends in weeks, I knew that I easily surpassed their abilities now. Chase had turned me into the perfect warrior.

A shiver ran down my spine at this thought, and I quickly forced myself back into action. Jack didn't stand a chance. He feebly tried to block my attacks as I threw myself at him, but it only took a few minutes for him to collapse to the floor.

With a loud groan, Jack curled his body into a ball and cowered with his hands wrapped around his head. I looked back at Chase to see him watching me with a gloating smirk on his face, and Wuya besides him looking bewildered. My eyes met his golden ones, and he gave me a slow nod.

Instead of attacking Jack again, I stepped forward and tried to help him to his feet. He resisted my help until I all but dragged him forward, and once he was standing, Jack had to lean on me for support.

"Sorry," I whispered again. He grumbled loudly in response.

"Well done, Kimiko," Chase called from the other end of the hall. "You've progressed a great deal since you came here. Isn't that right, Wuya?"

"Agreed," she said smoothly besides him. Her eyes focused sharply on me, and I felt goose bumps begin to prickle along my skin, despite the heat of my body from my recent attack. I didn't like the way she was staring at me; it was as if she were looking at me like a piece of meat, rather than a warrior.

"Take the boy and get him cleaned up," Chase said. "I don't want him dripping blood all over my clean floors. I will summon you once Wuya and I finish."

I didn't want to leave the two of them alone again, but with Jack practically passing out in my arms, I didn't have a choice. With a hesitant nod, I began to drag him back to my room, aided by the help of the jungle cats. I had a feeling Jack was being dramatic as usual, but I couldn't disobey an order from Chase.

Once back in my room, Jack made a huge show of groaning and collapsing into my bed. I rolled my eyes and went directly to the bathroom to get a few wet towels.

"Here, wipe yourself off," I said, throwing them at him. They hit Jack in the face and I couldn't help but smirk as he cursed and threw them off of him.

"You _burned _me!" he moaned, the accusation clear in his tone.

"I didn't have a choice!" I snapped back. "And I barely even touched you! Did you think I would purposefully try to hurt you? All I was trying to do was knock you down!"

"And I'm _bleeding_," he continued, ignoring everything that I had just said. "Look, you made me bleed! I thought we were friends now!" Jack shoved his arm in my face, and I bit back an annoyed sigh. He had a scrape along his forearm, probably from when he jumped out of the way of my attacks. Only a drop or two of blood had escaped, and I gave him a look of pure exasperation.

"I'll get you a bandage," I said. "Try not to bleed to death in the meantime."

Jack whimpered, and I finally let my sigh out as I headed for the door.

* * *

The jungle cats that had escorted us back were nowhere to be found. I poked my head out of the door and then made my day down the hallway, looking for one of the servants. Although Jack was being overly dramatic, I knew he could use some ice for his burns, and a bit of antiseptic if I really had managed to harm him. Because Chase usually healed me, I didn't have anything like that in my room. I assumed one of the cats would get it for me.

By the time I found one of the servants, I was almost at the door to the training hall. I asked it for the supplies in as nice a voice as I could manage, and the cat growled and stalked away..

I had just turned to leave when I heard murmurs of conversation in the corridor near training hall. The sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the hallway, and Chase's voice floated down towards me. Without thinking, I pressed myself back against the wall and silently moved away as the voices grew stronger. Just as I saw shadows creeping along the corner of the hallway, I ducked into an empty room and went as still as possible. Although I didn't think that Chase would mind that I was out of my room, I was more interested in what he was saying.

"It's almost time, Wuya," Chase said. From a small knothole in the wood, I could just barely make out his face as he and Wuya rounded the corner. "The Dragon of Fire is getting stronger every day. I know you have doubts, but there is nothing more I can do for her."

"I trust you," she replied in that nasally tone of hers. "But no matter what you have done with her, she is still Xiaolin. Even with your essence inside of her, she will never be a Heylin warrior. That alone could be our downfall. Let me corrupt her with my magic-"

"No," Chase said sharply. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise as he stopped dead in his tracks. The energy in the air seemed to change, and I instantly knew that Chase was turning into his dark side. His body stiffened and his eyes began to change color, but from where I was crouching, I couldn't see Wuya's reaction.

"I have kept her core essence Xiaolin for a reason, Wuya. I won't have you polluting my work."

"Then perhaps you've lost sight of our goal. The Chase I once knew promised we would take over the world. I know you can't do it without her, and I'm growing impatient."

"One thing at a time, Wuya."

The voices continued down the hall, but I wasn't listening anymore. Instead I was staring blankly at the spots where Chase and Wuya had just been, my face pale.

My doubts had been right. Chase and Wuya really were planning to take over the world, using me as their power source. I could feel my body begin to tremble uncontrollably, and I had to bite down on a finger to stop myself from making a sound. Already, my throat was constricting with emotion and I could feel tears welling in my eyes.

I had been so foolish. Chase had tricked me, like he had three years ago. He was just training me to take over the world, not to stop any evil. I had fallen for his words hook, line, and sinker.

Hastily, I tried to take a few deep breaths to calm myself as my mind raged on. After all the time I had spent with Chase, I never expected him to use me like this. I had truly believed that there was something wrong with him and that he needed my help. Although I still had no explanation for his dark change, I knew now that he had been lying to me all along.

Pushing back the tears, I squeezed my eyes shut and didn't open them until my body was numb from exhaustion.

* * *

When I finally left the room, the oil lamps had been lit and it was dark behind the stained glass windows. I cautiously looked around the empty hallway before I started making my way back to my room. Although I was still on edge and overwhelmed with what I had heard, I knew I couldn't stay in that dark little room forever.

The halls were completely silent, and I had a feeling that Jack and Wuya had already left. I wasn't sure I could face Jack in my room anyways; all I wanted was to collapse in my bed and ignore the world until I figured out what to do. Worse yet, I knew I couldn't face Chase. My body was full to the brim with anger and hurt. If I saw him, I didn't know whether I would burst into tears or attack him. I hoped it was the latter, but either way, I wasn't ready to confront him without a level head.

It seemed, however, that I wasn't going to get a chance to compose myself. About halfway back to my room, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me and knew Chase was there.

"Kimiko."

I didn't stop. Instead, I picked up my pace and ignored him to the best of my abilities, even as I felt anger rising within me. I clutched my hands into fists as my body reacted, and forced back the flames that I had subconsciously summoned.

"Dragon of Fire-"

"Stay away from me," I bit back, unable to contain myself. I heard his footsteps quicken behind me, and within moments, I felt his hand graze my shoulder.

"Kimiko-"

"Don't_ touch_ me!" I shouted at him, whirling around. I knocked his hand away from my body and prepared to storm off again, but he firmly grabbed my arm and made me face him.

"What are you doing? What's wrong?" Chase looked genuinely confused, and a hint of concern lit up in his eyes.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "That's rich, coming from you. Like you didn't know this entire time." I tried to jerk my arm away again, but he held onto me tighter with every tug. I was becoming more desperate to get away; I knew I wouldn't be able to contain myself for much longer. The fire in me was making my temper rise dangerously.

"I don't understand," Chase tried again, his voice surprisingly level. He easily turned me so that I was facing him, and as I looked at that fake concern in his eyes, I felt something inside of me snap. "Kimiko, what-"

"You _lied _to me!" I shouted at him, finally breaking free. "After all this time, I thought I was genuinely helping you! I thought I was here to save the world, not destroy it! And you just played me the entire time."

"Kimiko, I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know," I snapped. "I heard you and Wuya talking. You only brought me here so I could help you take over the world."

"Dragon of Fire, that's not true-"

"Then what is?" I interrupted him. "All you've done in the past few weeks is torment me. You say you want me to help you, but you never tell me what I have to do! I heard Wuya; you're only training me so you have enough power to take over. Well, guess what Chase? I'm not going to be your puppet anymore."

I tried to dodge around him, but Chase stepped in my way, blocking the corridor. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said angrily, thwarting my attempts to get away again. "Kimiko, if you'll just listen to me-"

"For what? So you can convince me otherwise and then use me when I'm not expecting it? I've been here for six weeks Chase. I'm done."

He grabbed me by the shoulders and lowered his head so that our gazes were level. I didn't want to look at him; there was too much pain in my eyes. Chase had hurt me, but I didn't want him to know that. I was stronger than this.

"Kimiko," he said firmly, though his expression was sincere. I finally met his eyes, but kept my own face expressionless. "I _need_ you."

"No, you don't," I whispered back. I stepped backwards and away from Chase, and he released his grip on my shoulders. "And after all this time…After the way you touched and healed me…After all the time we spent together, I thought-"

"Thought what?"

This time, I couldn't keep the pain out of my face as I looked at him. Chase was looking at me with an indescribable expression, one I had seen only in the most intimate of our encounters. With a deep breath, I raised my eyes to his.

"That I wasn't just your prisoner, and you weren't my captor. That we weren't student and teacher, or even apprentice and master. I thought that we were…something more."

The hallway went silent, and I instantly knew how stupid my words had sounded. Angrily, I wiped my eyes and began to step backwards down the hallway. Chase was just staring at me, and I had no idea what he was thinking.

"So you can try to use me to take over the world," I said bitterly, never taking my eyes off of him, "but know this. I will _never _submit to you. Every step of the way, I will fight you tooth and nail. I will make your life a living hell, and if you even think of hurting my friends for leverage, I will find a way to _destroy_ you. So piss off, Chase. Leave me the hell alone."

I was on the verge of tears. Furiously, I turned on my heels and began to stalk away from him, my footsteps loud in the empty hallway. Yet, I had only managed a few steps when Chase's hand curled around my wrist, forcing me back to him.

Everything happened so fast then.

With one deft move, Chase turned me around and drew me close to him, one hand cupping my face. I only had a moment to be startled before he was closing the distance between us, and I felt my eyes close without my consent.

And then, his lips were on mine.

I went numb. My mind went completely blank as I felt him moving against me, and my body slackened into his arms. I couldn't think or move as he kissed me, with the same ferocity and raw power that he used when we were fighting.

Then, with a moment of startling clarity, I realized I was kissing him back. Somehow, my hands had wound their way around his neck, and he was using his own to press our bodies closer together. With another swoop, he moved me so that my back was against the corridor wall, caging my body in with his.

I was lost. All I knew was the feeling of his lips against mine, and his arms around my body. For that perfect moment, everything was right in the world. My pain and anger had somehow melted away, and all I felt was an empty sort of contentedness.

And then in the next moment, everything came crashing back down. My mind was suddenly overcome with the kiss, and I felt my body seize up against him. I was kissing my worst enemy. The man who had lied, tricked, and hurt me was tormenting me again. Overwhelming shame and confusion flooded my veins, and I felt all the pain of the past few hours slam back into my body.

With a gasp, I broke free from Chase and shoved him away from me. He stepped backwards, but I could still hear him breathing heavily as our lips separated. My heart was pounding frantically in my chest, and I could feel my hands begin to tremble as I reached up to touch my face.

Anger and bewilderment hit me simultaneously, more potent than I had ever felt it before. After all that I had told him, Chase had taken advantage of me. And I had let it happen.

I had kissed him back.

Before I knew what I had done, I raised my hand to slap him. There were tears in my eyes as I prepared to hit him. Chase didn't move, or even try to defend himself.

Yet, just a moment before I would have slapped him, his eyes met mine. My hand hesitated as we gazed at each other, and instead of seeing malice in his eyes, I saw that same indescribable emotion.

I couldn't stay here anymore. With a cry in my throat, I turned and ran, breaking his potent gaze.

He didn't follow me, and I didn't stop running until I reached my room. Quickly, I threw myself inside and slammed the door.

The silence was suffocating, and as I tried to calm myself down, I felt something inside break instead. Within a moment, the tears I had tried to hard to contain were slipping down my cheeks, and I choked on silent sobs.

I let my body slide to the floor as the tears broke free in a violent storm. I hadn't cried since I came here, but I cried now. I cried for my friends and Master Fung, for my own stupidity, and for the feelings I hadn't dared to feel until now. I cried for all the hours Chase had pushed me to my limits, and for the moments he healed and comforted me in the darkest of times.

I had never felt so alone and helpless in my life. Chase had taken advantage of me, body and soul. I let myself collapse, and let the tears flow until I was void of emotion.

* * *

I couldn't stay here any longer. By the time I had composed myself back into a semi-stable mindset, it was close to midnight and the entire lair was silent. I pulled myself up from the floor and stumbled into the bathroom to splash water on my face.

My skin was pale and there were dark circles under my eyes, but I didn't care. I was leaving here tonight, no matter what. Chase had broken his promise not to use me to take over the world, so I would break mine to stay here with him. Even if I had to spend the rest of my life running from Chase, there was no way I would let him use me again.

I washed off my face and changed my clothes into a new set of robes, then went back into my bedroom for the last time. The bag that I had brought from the Temple was lying in disarray, and I decided not to bring it with me, just in case it slowed me down. With one last look around my prison cell, I silently slipped out the door and into the corridors.

I had almost reached the main hallway when a crack of light peered out from underneath a door I swore I had never seen before. In the past few weeks, I had learned the complex series of hallways like the back of my own hand, and this door had never been visible before. Curiosity got the best of me, and I carefully tugged the handle. The door swung open to reveal a smaller passage lit with lamps, and I felt myself being drawn in.

The passage only went on for a few yards until another door stood in my way. No light was on behind this one, and I hesitated for a moment before opening the door.

As light spilled into the dark room, my breath caught in my throat. This was Chase's bedroom. He was lying on a futon on the floor, wearing only a pair of black pants. Sleeping jungle cats surrounded him, flicking their tails idly.

I had never seen Chase look so peaceful. Although I knew I had to leave, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over his sleeping form. After seeing him this way, it was hard to imagine how horrible and manipulative he was while awake. Chase's face was relaxed and his armor was nowhere to be found. It was only when I noticed how the light fell across each one of his muscles that I realized how dangerous he still was.

With one last glance, I slowly closed the door and made my way back to the main hallway. I couldn't afford the thoughts that came with seeing Chase like that.

It only took a few more minutes to reach the main hall, and I entered again in darkness. There was no sign of the jungle cats, and I assumed that they were either prowling around outside or sleeping somewhere out of sight. I crossed the threshold without hesitation, and began to run as I came closer and closer to the door. I knew this was going to be the hardest part in escaping; there was no way Chase left the entrance to his lair unlocked and unguarded at night. Either way, I had to try.

I had just touched the handle when light suddenly burst from all around me, temporarily blinding me. I let out a yelp and hastily shielded my eyes, while my body instantly went into a protective stance. By the time I was able to see again, I knew I was in trouble.

Chase stood calmly a few feet away from me, leaning against one of the pillars in the grand hall. His arms were crossed against his bare chest, and he still wore only black pants. I felt my heart sink inside of me, but put on the strongest façade that I could manage.

"Going somewhere?" he called lightly. I could see our previous encounter in his eyes, and knew he was still thinking about our kiss. Yet, overshadowing it all was that hint of darkness, as his pupils shifted in between circles and slits. I could see fangs poking out from underneath his lips, and knew he was on the verge of turning.

"I'm leaving," I replied firmly. "You broke our deal. I'm under no obligation to stay here any longer."

"You are wrong, Kimiko. I did no such thing." He began to move towards me, and with every step he took, I could see darkness begin to overcome his eyes. I tightened up my stance in preparation; there was no way I would be leaving now without a fight.

"Don't lie to me," I snapped. "Now open the door and let me go." I raised my hands in protection, ready to summon fire, even as I backed up against the door. He towered over me and placed his hands on either side of my head, effectively trapping me with his body.

"_You belong to me_," he hissed. I felt a sudden wave of fear run through my body, and I cringed back against the door. His face was level with mine, and I could only see darkness in his eyes. His other personality was gone; this wasn't Chase any more.

I had just opened my mouth to reply when a tremor ran through Chase, and he made an odd choking noise. His eyes narrowed as he stepped back away from me, and I watched in horror as his skin began to bubble and transform. Within seconds, scales began to pattern his exposed flesh, turning a deep green as they spread.

He snapped his head up to look at me, and for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. The fangs in his mouth were growing longer with every passing second, and as I watched, his body began to tremble.

There was an audible crack from within his chest, and Chase let out a howl of pain. His body began to convulse, and more cracks sounded as his shoulders dislocated and began to reform in a different shape. I let out a horrified gasp and tried to scramble away, but my body was frozen in place. Instead, I tripped over myself and fell to the floor, unable to take my eyes off of him.

Chase let out another howl as his body began to break, and the scales continued to overtake his body. His nails began to grow longer into claws, and the thin material of his pants began to tear as his legs changed shape. He was lying on the floor by now, still convulsing as his the bones of his body broke and transformed.

I couldn't watch any longer. Somehow, I forced myself to my feet and ran to his side. "Chase?" I said urgently, looking over his body helplessly. "Chase, what's going on? What's happening?"

His response was a cry of pain that didn't sound entirely human. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I saw the agony in his eyes, surrounded by the darkness I had seen so often. I didn't know what was happening to him, but I was desperate to stop it.

"Chase, please! Tell me what to do, I can help!" I reached out to touch him, and as I did so, the mark on my wrist began to burn with such pain that I let out a cry of my own. I gripped my wrist with my other hand as tears reformed in my eyes, blurring my vision.

Just as I was about to move away, Chase reached out and grabbed my arm. He met my eyes with a frantic need in his gaze, even as pain convulsed throughout his body. A gurgle escaped his throat, and his grip tightened. "Kimiko," he gasped. "_Run_."

He pushed me away from him with the last of his strength, and another pain-filled howl filled the air. I scrambled backwards until my back was against the door, unable to do anything but watch.

Suddenly, a green light began to emit from around his limbs, and I shielded my eyes as the light became too bright to bear. Then, just as sudden, the light was gone.

The hall had gone completely silent, and I slowly lowered my arm from in front of my eyes. Then, my breath caught in my throat and my body went numb in fear.

Chase was gone. In his place, a dragon stood, still wearing remnants of black cloth along its lower legs. Green scales patterned its back, while a patch of gold covered its chest. Large black spines had formed along its back, glinting dangerously in the light.

The dragon slowly looked down at its limbs, and as I watched, its mouth curved into a sadistic smile. I could see rows of razor sharp teeth behind its smirk. My gaze wandered to its eyes, and I had to bite back a cry as I realized they were slits, surrounded by the familiar topaz of Chase's own.

My heart was pounding frantically in my chest. I didn't know what was going on, or what had happened to Chase. This creature wasn't him. The energy in the air had changed completely, just as it did when Chase was struggling with his darker side.

I must have let out a whimper, for the next moment, the dragon had whirled around to face me. I grew pale as its steely gaze wandered over my body, finally coming to rest on my face.

Its smile widened, and the dragon began to laugh. I had never heard anything so evil in my life. It was the combination of a man and a creature, echoing throughout the chamber with distinct malice and cruelty. My blood ran cold inside of me, and as the dragon began to approach, I found that my limbs were still frozen to the floor.

I could only watch as the creature came towards me, promising blood in its eyes.

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